Why our gummies use a little real sugar, not sugar alcohols

Two Ankhway gummies contain about 5 g of sugar. That's roughly six grapes' worth, or about a sixth of the 30 g of free sugars the NHS says adults should stay under each day. [1][2]

We sweeten with glucose syrup, sugar and glucose. There are no sugar alcohols (polyols such as maltitol, sorbitol, xylitol, isomalt or erythritol) and no intense sweeteners.

Sugar alcohols (polyols) are sweeteners used in many "sugar-free" sweets. UK labelling rules say foods with more than 10% added polyols must carry the warning "excessive consumption may produce laxative effects". Xylitol, one of them, is extremely harmful to dogs and can be fatal. [3][4][18][19]

Here is what to be aware of with sugar alcohols, and what each one is, using official UK and European sources.

What to be aware of with sugar alcohols

  • Laxative effect. In large amounts, polyols can cause wind, bloating and diarrhoea, and people's tolerance varies. UK labels must carry the warning "excessive consumption may produce laxative effects" on foods with more than 10% added polyols. [3][4][5]
  • Dogs and xylitol. Xylitol (E967) is extremely harmful to dogs and can be fatal. In dogs it triggers a release of insulin that causes low blood sugar, and it can also damage the liver. Even one or two pieces of sugar-free gum may be enough to poison a small dog. It's found in sugar-free chewing gum, mints and sweets, some baked goods and nut butters, some medicines and dental products such as toothpaste, and may be listed as E967 or "birch sugar". Read more from PDSA, Animal PoisonLine and Dogs Trust. [18][19][20]
  • If your dog eats it. Contact your vet straight away, or call Animal PoisonLine (run by the Veterinary Poisons Information Service) on 01202 509000. It's a 24-hour service and charges apply. Don't try to make your dog sick. [19][20][21]
  • Other polyols and pets. The Veterinary Poisons Information Service says some other polyols, such as maltitol and sorbitol, can cause vomiting and diarrhoea in pets, though it doesn't class them as hazardous in the way xylitol is. [22]
  • Children. Children are smaller, so a smaller amount of polyols can be enough to give them stomach upset or diarrhoea. European food safety experts have raised this concern for young consumers with erythritol and with polyglycitol syrup. [6][11]
  • Our gummies too. Ankhway Mushroom Gummies are a food supplement, and UK rules say food supplements should be stored out of the reach of young children. They aren't made for animals either, so keep all gummies, including ours, away from pets. [23]

None of this means sugar is the healthier choice. Sugar has its own limits, which is why the NHS says adults should have no more than 30 g of free sugars a day. [2]

What are polyols?

Polyols, also called sugar alcohols, are a group of sweet carbohydrates. Most are made by hydrogenating a sugar (for example glucose, maltose or lactose); erythritol is made by fermentation. Some occur naturally in certain fruits and vegetables. [4][5][6]

In Great Britain, eight polyols are authorised as food additives (sweeteners) and must be listed on the label by name or E-number. [7][8]

The polyols authorised in the UK

E-numberNameWhat it isSweetness (sugar = 100%)Typical usesWhat studies and regulators report on tolerance
E420Sorbitol (i) and sorbitol syrup (ii)Made from glucose or sucrose [5]About 50–70% [5]; syrup 25–50% [9]Sugar-free sweets and chewing gum; also keeps foods moist [5]Can cause abdominal pain at 20–30 g a day and osmotic diarrhoea above about 50 g a day [5].
E421MannitolMade from fructose or invert sugar [5]About 50–70% [5]Tablets, dusting on chewing gum, sugar-free coatings [5]Poorly absorbed [5].
E953IsomaltMade from sucrose in a two-step process [5]About 45–65% [5]Hard sweets, toffees, chewing gum, chocolate, lozenges [5]In a UK trial (59 students), 40 g in chocolate increased wind, rumbling and mild laxation; 30 g was better tolerated [10]
E964Polyglycitol syrupA starch-based syrup mixing sorbitol, maltitol and larger polyols [11]About 40–90% [9]Less common; specific uses not checked for this pageEFSA reported gastric disturbance as the main adverse effect, and said estimated intakes were close to doses that caused it in trials (higher for children) [11]
E965Maltitol (i) and maltitol syrup (ii)Made from maltose (from starch) [5]About 90% [5]; syrup 25–50% [9]Sugar-free chocolate and sweets [5]In the same UK trial, 40 g caused mild wind, rumbling and colic and 30 g mainly mild wind, with no laxative effect at either dose [10]
E966LactitolMade from lactose (milk sugar) [5]About 30–40% [5]Sweets, chocolate, chewing gum, preserves; also used in medicine for constipation [5]Bloating and wind above about 20 g in one dose [5]. Caused the most symptoms of the three polyols tested in the UK chocolate trial [10]
E967XylitolMade from xylose, for example from birch wood or corn cobs [5]About 100% (the sweetest polyol) [5]Chewing gum, sweets, oral-care products [5]Extremely harmful to dogs [18][19]. In a UK trial (64 adults), 35 g in a drink increased watery stools; 50 g also increased nausea, bloating and rumbling [12]
E968ErythritolMade by fermentation [5]About 60–80% [5][6]Chewing gum, sweets, ice cream [5]Most is absorbed and passed unchanged in urine [6]. In the UK trial, 20 g and 35 g in a drink caused no significant symptoms; 50 g increased nausea and rumbling [12]. EFSA set a safe daily intake of 0.5 g per kg of body weight, based on its laxative effect [6]

People's tolerance varies. Most of these studies tested a single large dose in healthy young adults, so they don't tell you how any particular product will affect you. [10][12]

What UK rules say about polyols

  • Laxative warning. If added polyols make up more than 10% of a food, the label must say "excessive consumption may produce laxative effects". [3][4]
  • Sweetener statement. Foods that contain sweeteners, polyols included, must say "with sweetener(s)" next to the name of the food. If they also contain added sugar, the label must say "with sugar(s) and sweetener(s)". [3]
  • Where they can be used. In sweets, including chewy sweets and fruit gums, the polyol sweeteners may only be used in products that are energy-reduced or have no added sugar. [6][13]
  • Erythritol's laxative warning stays. In 2023 EFSA reviewed erythritol and did not support removing it from the laxative-warning rule. [6]

Further reading from UK sources

NHS and government

Health charities and professional bodies

Pets

News and consumer

If you want no sugar at all, a sugar-free product may suit you better. Either way, read the label and check how much you're eating, not just the front of the pack.

Every batch of Ankhway is independently lab tested, and the latest batch's results are on our lab testing page.

See Ankhway Mushroom Gummies → · FAQ →

Ankhway Mushroom Gummies are a food supplement. They should not replace a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.

Not magic mushrooms, nothing psychoactive. On medication, pregnant or with a condition? Ask your GP first.

Sources (checked 22–23 Oct 2026)

  1. USDA FoodData Central, grapes, red or green, raw (FDC 174683): https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/174683/nutrients
  2. NHS, "Sugar: the facts" (adults: no more than 30 g free sugars a day): https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-types/how-does-sugar-in-our-diet-affect-our-health/
  3. Retained Reg (EU) 1169/2011, Annex III, points 2.1, 2.2 and 2.4: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2011/1169/annex/III
  4. NHS, "The truth about sweeteners" (polyols can be laxative in large amounts; the >10% label rule): https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-types/are-sweeteners-safe/
  5. Grembecka M. "Sugar alcohols—their role in the modern world of sweeteners: a review." Eur Food Res Technol 2015;241:1–14. doi:10.1007/s00217-015-2437-7 (Table 2 relative sweetness; production, uses and Table 6 side effects)
  6. EFSA FAF Panel. "Re-evaluation of erythritol (E 968) as a food additive." EFSA Journal 2023;21(12):8430. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2023.8430 (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10731997/): absorption, ADI 0.5 g/kg bw/day, laxative warning kept, no demonstrated causal CVD link, sweetness 60–80%, and Annex II food-category table
  7. Food Standards Agency, register of authorised food additives, E420–E968: https://data.food.gov.uk/regulated-products/food_authorisations (entries e-420, e-421, e-953, e-964, e-965, e-966, e-967, e-968)
  8. Food Standards Agency, "Approved additives and E numbers" (updated 25 Jun 2026): https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/approved-additives-and-e-numbers
  9. Centre for Food Safety (Hong Kong government), "Sugar Alcohols – an Overview" (syrup sweetness; JECFA ADI "not specified"): https://www.cfs.gov.hk/english/multimedia/multimedia_pub/multimedia_pub_fsf_221_02.html
  10. Koutsou GA et al. "Dose-related gastrointestinal response to the ingestion of either isomalt, lactitol or maltitol in milk chocolate." Eur J Clin Nutr 1996;50:17–21 (University of Salford; 59 participants): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8617186/
  11. EFSA ANS Panel. "Scientific Opinion on the use of polyglycitol syrup as a food additive." EFSA Journal 2009;7(12):1413. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2009.1413 (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11926627/)
  12. Storey D et al. "Gastrointestinal tolerance of erythritol and xylitol ingested in a liquid." Eur J Clin Nutr 2007;61:349–354 (University of Salford; 64 completed): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16988647/
  13. Regulation (EC) 1333/2008 Annex II, Group IV polyols in category 05.2 ("…chewy candies, fruit gums… only energy-reduced or with no added sugar"), as reproduced in EFSA 2023 [6], Table 3; GB text: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2008/1333/annex/II
  14. Witkowski M et al. "The artificial sweetener erythritol and cardiovascular event risk." Nature Medicine 2023;29:710–718. doi:10.1038/s41591-023-02223-9 (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10334259/)
  15. Science Media Centre, "expert reaction to study looking at an artificial sweetener (erythritol) and cardiovascular disease events", 27 Feb 2023: https://www.sciencemediacentre.org/expert-reaction-to-study-looking-at-an-artificial-sweetener-erythritol-and-cardiovascular-disease-events/
  16. Witkowski M et al. "Xylitol is prothrombotic and associated with cardiovascular risk." European Heart Journal 2024;45(27):2439–2452. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehae244 (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11492277/)
  17. European Society of Cardiology press release, "Xylitol may increase the risk of cardiovascular events", 26 Aug 2026: https://www.escardio.org/news/press/press-releases/xylitol-may-increase-the-risk-of-cardiovascular-events/
  18. PDSA, "Poisons and hazards for your pets" (xylitol "extremely harmful to dogs and can be fatal"; sugar-free gum, sweets, medications, some nut butters; "birch sugar"): https://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/all-pets/poisons-and-hazards-for-your-pets
  19. Animal PoisonLine (run by the Veterinary Poisons Information Service), "Xylitol poisoning in dogs", 10 Jun 2021 (insulin release causing low blood sugar, liver damage; 1–2 pieces of gum in a small dog; E967; call 01202 509000; do not make your pet vomit): https://www.animalpoisonline.co.uk/blogs/2021/06/10/xylitol-poisoning-in-dogs/ ; service details (24 hours, £35–£45 per call; contact a vet immediately if collapsed or convulsing): https://www.animalpoisonline.co.uk/
  20. Dogs Trust, "What foods are toxic and poisonous to dogs?", 13 Jul 2022 (gum, mints, sweets, some baked goods, some peanut butter, mouthwash, toothpaste; blood-sugar crash and liver failure; contact your vet immediately): https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/health-wellbeing/at-home/toxic-foods
  21. RSPCA, "Christmas dangers for pets" (xylitol extremely toxic; take your pet to a vet immediately; do not try to make your pet vomit): https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/seasonal/christmas
  22. Veterinary Poisons Information Service, "Sweeteners other than xylitol", 5 Jun 2019: https://www.vpisglobal.com/2019/06/05/sweeteners-other-than-xylitol/
  23. The Food Supplements (England) Regulations 2003, reg. 6(2)(e) (label must state the product should be stored out of the reach of young children; Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have equivalent regulations): https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2003/1387/regulation/6