Also called polyols, chemical derivatives of sugars that differ from the parent compounds in having an alcohol group (CH2OH) instead of the aldehyde group (CHO); thus mannitol from mannose, xylitol from xylose, lacticol from lactulose (also sorbitol, isomalt, and hydrogenated glucose syrup). Several occur naturally in fruits, vegetables, and cereals. They range in sweetness from equal to sucrose to less than half. They provide bulk in foods such as confectionery (in contrast to intense sweeteners), and so are called bulk sweeteners. They are slowly and incompletely metabolised, and are tolerated by diabetics, and provide less energy than sugars: they are less cariogenic than sucrose.