Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol about half as sweet as table sugar, used to sweeten sugar-free sweets, gums and "diabetic" foods. It is prized less for its mild sweetness than for what else it does: it holds onto moisture, stops sugar syrups from crystallising, barely raises blood sugar and does not feed the bacteria that cause tooth decay. In larger amounts it draws water into the gut and acts as a laxative.
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