Home Ingredients Allulose (D-Psicose)
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Allulose (D-Psicose)

Evidence Level
Moderate
6 Clinical Trials
5 Documented Benefits
3/5 Evidence Score

Allulose, also called D-psicose, is a rare sugar found in small amounts in wheat, raisins, dried figs, maple syrup and molasses. It is about 70 percent as sweet as table sugar and can replace part or all of the sugar in baked foods, where it browns readily. Most of it is absorbed and then passed out unchanged, so the FDA lets labels count it at no more than 0.4 calories per gram and leave it out of Total Sugars and Added Sugars. FDA has not objected to several GRAS notices for its use in foods. Taken with a carbohydrate meal or drink, allulose lowers the rise in blood glucose afterward; two meta-analyses rate this post-meal effect as moderate certainty. Longer trials have not shown changes in HbA1c, fasting glucose, blood lipids or body composition. Large amounts can cause gas, bloating or loose stools.

Studied Dose 5 to 10 g with a carbohydrate meal or drink in post-meal glucose trials; 4 g or 7 g twice daily for 12 weeks in a body fat trial. In a 30-day tolerance study, 24 to 36 g a day caused mild, short-lived stomach symptoms in about half of participants.
Active Compound D-Psicose, a C-3 epimer of D-fructose; a monosaccharide with the same molecular formula as fructose but a different stereochemistry.

Benefits

Sugar replacement with minimal calories

Allulose can stand in for table sugar in foods and baking but provides no more than 0.4 calories per gram, because most of it leaves the body unchanged. It is about 70 percent as sweet as sugar and is not counted as Total or Added Sugars on US labels. Swapping it for sugar cuts calories, but a recent pooled analysis of trials found no significant change in body composition.

Supported by Trial 3, Trial 6

Supports healthy post-meal blood glucose

A meta-analysis of 12 allulose trials and a second meta-analysis of single-meal trials both found that allulose taken with carbohydrate lowers the glucose rise afterward, about 10 percent in the single-meal analysis, with moderate certainty. It did not change HbA1c or fasting glucose, and one trial in healthy adults found no effect at 5 to 10 g.

Supported by Trial 4, Trial 1

Supports post-meal fat burning

In a single-blind crossover study in 13 healthy adults, 5 g of allulose taken 30 minutes before a standard meal increased fat burning and lowered carbohydrate burning over the next 4 hours compared with aspartame. This was a single-meal measurement in a small group, and most of the researchers work for Matsutani Chemical Industry.

Supported by Trial 4

Body fat changes in a 12-week trial

In a 12-week placebo-controlled trial in 121 Korean adults with a BMI of 23 or higher, 4 g or 7 g twice daily reduced body fat percentage and fat mass, and CT scans showed less belly fat at the higher dose. The authors called it a preliminary study, and a later meta-analysis found no significant effect of allulose on body composition.

Supported by Trial 5

Tooth-friendly sweetness

In its labeling guidance, the FDA concluded that allulose does not lower dental plaque pH to the level linked with enamel loss, and that it does not promote tooth decay. That review considered two clinical studies of plaque pH and laboratory work on a decay-causing mouth bacterium.

Supported by Trial 4, Trial 2

Mechanism of action

1

Absorbed but not used for energy

According to the FDA review, allulose is absorbed within about an hour, cleared from the blood within 24 hours, and about 70 percent of an oral dose leaves the body unchanged in urine and stool within 48 hours. It is also poorly fermented by gut bacteria, which is why it provides so few calories.

2

Gut fullness hormones

In a crossover study in 18 healthy young adults, 25 g of allulose delivered directly into the stomach released the gut hormones CCK, GLP-1 and PYY compared with water. This was a large dose given by tube, so it does not show what a normal serving in food does.

3

Proposed effect on liver glucose handling

One proposed explanation for the lower post-meal glucose is that small amounts of allulose help the body store glucose as glycogen. A trial designed to test this idea with 5 g and 10 g in healthy adults did not confirm an effect on the glucose response.

Clinical trials

1
Allulose with a maltodextrin drink
PubMed

Randomized, single-blind crossover test of 0, 2.5, 5 or 7.5 g of D-psicose with 75 g maltodextrin, or 7.5 g alone (Iida et al. 2008, J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo))

20 healthy adults aged 20 to 39.

Doses of 5 g or more lowered the rise in blood glucose and insulin after the maltodextrin drink, with larger doses doing more. 7.5 g of allulose alone did not change blood glucose or insulin. The lead author works for Matsutani Chemical Industry.

2
Allulose with a meal, and 12 weeks of daily use
PubMed

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover test of 5 g of D-psicose in tea with a standard meal, plus a 12-week parallel safety study (Hayashi et al. 2010, Biosci Biotechnol Biochem)

26 adults, including people with borderline high blood sugar, in the meal test; 17 healthy adults in the 12-week study.

Blood glucose was lower 30 and 60 minutes after the meal with allulose, mainly in the borderline group. Taking 5 g three times a day for 12 weeks caused no abnormal findings.

3
Small doses of allulose in a glucose tolerance test
PubMed

Double-blind, randomized crossover equivalence trial of 0, 5 or 10 g of allulose or fructose added to a 75 g glucose drink (Braunstein et al. 2018, Nutrients)

25 healthy adults with complete data.

Neither dose of allulose changed the glucose response compared with the glucose drink alone. The authors note the trial had low power because glucose responses varied more than expected.

4
Allulose and post-meal fat burning
PubMed

Randomized, single-blind crossover study of 5 g of D-allulose or 10 mg aspartame 30 minutes before a standard meal (Kimura et al. 2017, Nutrition)

13 healthy men and women with normal BMI.

Fat burning over 4 hours was higher and carbohydrate burning lower with allulose, and plasma glucose was lower. Insulin and blood lipids did not change. Most authors work for Matsutani Chemical Industry.

5
12-week body fat trial
PubMed

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 4 g or 7 g of D-allulose twice daily for 12 weeks (Han et al. 2018, Nutrients)

121 Korean adults aged 20 to 40 with a BMI of 23 or higher.

Body fat percentage and fat mass fell compared with placebo, and the higher dose also lowered BMI and CT-measured belly fat. Food intake, blood lipids, liver and kidney markers did not differ. The authors call it a preliminary study, and three authors work for the food company CJ CheilJedang.

6
Allulose and gut fullness hormones
PubMed

Randomized, controlled, double-blind crossover study of 25 g of D-allulose, 50 g erythritol or water given into the stomach by tube (Teysseire et al. 2022, J Nutr)

18 healthy young adults with normal BMI.

Allulose released the gut hormones CCK, GLP-1 and PYY compared with water. Blocking the gut sweet taste receptor did not change this.

Side effects and drug interactions

Common Potential side effects

Gas, bloating, stomach rumbling or loose stools, especially with larger amounts.
In a 30-day study, 24 to 36 g a day caused mild, short-lived stomach symptoms in about half of participants, mostly in the first 3 days.
Start with small amounts and increase gradually.
Long-term safety beyond a few months has not been studied in depth.

Important Drug interactions

Insulin or other glucose-lowering medicines: allulose lowers post-meal glucose, so check with your prescriber and monitor your blood sugar.
GLP-1 medicines: no study has tested the combination. Allulose released GLP-1 in one study when given by tube at a high dose.
No other drug interactions are known.

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Frequently asked questions about Allulose (D-Psicose)

What is allulose?

Allulose is a rare sugar found in small amounts in foods such as wheat, raisins and dried figs. It can replace sugar in many foods but provides almost no calories, because the body absorbs it but does not use it for energy.

Does allulose affect blood sugar?

Allulose on its own causes only a negligible rise in blood sugar and insulin. Taken with a carbohydrate meal, it lowers the glucose rise from that meal, by about 10 percent in one meta-analysis. Longer trials have not shown changes in HbA1c or fasting glucose. It is a sweetener, not a treatment for diabetes, and anyone on blood sugar medicine should talk to their prescriber first.

Does allulose bake like sugar?

It can replace sugar in many baked foods and browns readily, in some tests more than sugar, but cakes made with it can differ in volume and texture. It is about 70 percent as sweet as sugar.

Is allulose safe?

FDA has not objected to several GRAS notices for allulose, and a 12-week study and a 30-day study found no safety problems. Larger amounts often cause gas, bloating or loose stools, so start small and build up.

What is Allulose used for?

Allulose is researched primarily for Metabolic Health and Weight Management. Allulose can stand in for table sugar in foods and baking but provides no more than 0.4 calories per gram, because most of it leaves the body unchanged.

What is the recommended dosage of Allulose?

The clinically studied dose is 5 to 10 g with a carbohydrate meal or drink in post-meal glucose trials; 4 g or 7 g twice daily for 12 weeks in a body fat trial. In a 30-day tolerance study, 24 to 36 g a day caused mild, short-lived stomach symptoms in about half of participants. Always follow the product label and check with a healthcare provider for personal advice.

Is Allulose safe, and does it have side effects?

For most healthy adults, Allulose is well tolerated at studied doses. Reported effects can include: Gas, bloating, stomach rumbling or loose stools, especially with larger amounts. In a 30-day study, 24 to 36 g a day caused mild, short-lived stomach symptoms in about half of participants, mostly in the first 3 days. It may also interact with some medications. Allulose is not right for everyone, so check with a healthcare provider first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a medical condition, or take prescription medication.

Does Allulose interact with any medications?

Possible interactions include: Insulin or other glucose-lowering medicines: allulose lowers post-meal glucose, so check with your prescriber and monitor your blood sugar. GLP-1 medicines: no study has tested the combination. Allulose released GLP-1 in one study when given by tube at a high dose. If you take prescription medication, check with a pharmacist or doctor before using it.

How strong is the scientific evidence for Allulose?

NutraSmarts rates the evidence for Allulose as Moderate (3 out of 5). It is backed by 6 clinical trials and 14 cited references summarized on this page. A higher rating reflects more, larger, and better-designed human studies.

References(14 citations)

Evidence ratings on NutraSmarts are based on the totality of human clinical research, with emphasis on randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews. The references below directly support claims made throughout this page.

  1. Iida T, Kishimoto Y, Yoshikawa Y, Hayashi N, Okuma K, Tohi M, Yagi K, Matsuo T, Izumori K. Acute D-psicose administration decreases the glycemic responses to an oral maltodextrin tolerance test in normal adults. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo). 2008;54(6):511-4. doi: 10.3177/jnsv.54.511.PubMedUsed to support: Randomized, single-blind crossover test in 20 healthy adults: 5 g or more of D-psicose added to 75 g maltodextrin lowered the post-drink rise in blood glucose and insulin in a dose-dependent way; 7.5 g of D-psicose alone had no effect on glucose or insulin.
  2. Hayashi N, Iida T, Yamada T, Okuma K, Takehara I, Yamamoto T, Yamada K, Tokuda M. Study on the postprandial blood glucose suppression effect of D-psicose in borderline diabetes and the safety of long-term ingestion by normal human subjects. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2010;74(3):510-9. doi: 10.1271/bbb.90707.PubMedUsed to support: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover test in 26 adults: 5 g of D-psicose with a standard meal lowered blood glucose at 30 and 60 minutes, mainly in people with borderline high blood sugar; a 12-week study of 5 g three times a day in 17 healthy adults found no abnormal effects.
  3. Braunstein CR, Noronha JC, Glenn AJ, Viguiliouk E, Noseworthy R, Khan TA, Au-Yeung F, Blanco Mejia S, Wolever TMS, Josse RG, Kendall CWC, Sievenpiper JL. A Double-Blind, Randomized Controlled, Acute Feeding Equivalence Trial of Small, Catalytic Doses of Fructose and Allulose on Postprandial Blood Glucose Metabolism in Healthy Participants: The Fructose and Allulose Catalytic Effects (FACE) Trial. Nutrients. 2018;10(6):750. doi: 10.3390/nu10060750.PubMedUsed to support: Double-blind, randomized crossover equivalence trial in 25 healthy adults: 5 g or 10 g of allulose added to a 75 g glucose drink did not change the glucose response; the authors note low statistical power.
  4. Kimura T, Kanasaki A, Hayashi N, Yamada T, Iida T, Nagata Y, Okuma K. d-Allulose enhances postprandial fat oxidation in healthy humans. Nutrition. 2017;43-44:16-20. doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2017.06.007.PubMedUsed to support: Randomized, single-blind crossover study in 13 healthy adults: 5 g of D-allulose before a standard meal increased fat oxidation and lowered carbohydrate oxidation and plasma glucose over 4 hours compared with aspartame.
  5. Han Y, Kwon EY, Yu MK, Lee SJ, Kim HJ, Kim SB, Kim YH, Choi MS. A Preliminary Study for Evaluating the Dose-Dependent Effect of d-Allulose for Fat Mass Reduction in Adult Humans: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. Nutrients. 2018;10(2):160. doi: 10.3390/nu10020160.PubMedUsed to support: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled 12-week trial in 121 Korean adults with a BMI of 23 or higher: 4 g or 7 g of D-allulose twice daily reduced body fat percentage and fat mass, with lower BMI and CT-measured abdominal fat at the higher dose; the authors describe it as preliminary.
  6. Teysseire F, Bordier V, Budzinska A, Weltens N, Rehfeld JF, Holst JJ, Hartmann B, Beglinger C, Van Oudenhove L, Wölnerhanssen BK, Meyer-Gerspach AC. The Role of D-allulose and Erythritol on the Activity of the Gut Sweet Taste Receptor and Gastrointestinal Satiation Hormone Release in Humans: A Randomized, Controlled Trial. J Nutr. 2022;152(5):1228-1238. doi: 10.1093/jn/nxac026.PubMedUsed to support: Randomized, controlled, double-blind crossover study in 18 healthy adults: 25 g of D-allulose given into the stomach released CCK, GLP-1 and PYY compared with water, and this was not mediated by the gut sweet taste receptor.
  7. Osborn L, DuPuis K, Liu S, Della Corte D, Della Corte KA. Glycemic and cardiometabolic effects of rare sugars allulose and tagatose: a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled human intervention trials. Am J Clin Nutr. 2026;123(6):101314. doi: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2026.101314.PubMedUsed to support: Systematic review and meta-analysis of 20 controlled trials (12 of allulose): allulose lowered post-meal glucose and insulin responses with moderate certainty but did not change HbA1c, fasting glucose or insulin, lipids, uric acid or body composition.
  8. Braunstein CR, Noronha JC, Khan TA, Mejia SB, Wolever TM, Josse RG, Kendall CW, Sievenpiper JL. Effect of fructose and its epimers on postprandial carbohydrate metabolism: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clin Nutr. 2020;39(11):3308-3318. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2020.03.002.PubMedUsed to support: Systematic review and meta-analysis of single-meal feeding trials of small doses of fructose and its epimers (40 trial comparisons in total): allulose lowered the post-meal glucose response by about 10 percent, with moderate certainty.
  9. Tani Y, Tokuda M, Nishimoto N, Yokoi H, Izumori K. Allulose for the attenuation of postprandial blood glucose levels in healthy humans: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2023;18(4):e0281150. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0281150.PubMedUsed to support: Systematic review and meta-analysis of allulose trials in healthy people: 5 g and 10 g doses lowered the post-meal glucose response. Authors include an employee of Matsutani Chemical Industry and allulose patent holders.
  10. Ayesh H, Suhail S, Ayesh S. Impact of allulose on blood glucose in type 2 diabetes: A meta-analysis of clinical trials. Metabol Open. 2024;24:100329. doi: 10.1016/j.metop.2024.100329.PubMedUsed to support: Meta-analysis of 6 trials (126 participants) in people with type 2 diabetes: allulose lowered the post-meal glucose response, with no significant change in fasting glucose or insulin response.
  11. Qi L, Ning J, Han J, Zhang N, Zhang W, Wang F, Li D, Li Z, Nie Y, Jing H, Gao S. D-Allulose as a Low-Calorie Sweetener: A 30-Day Randomized, Double-Blind Study on Gastrointestinal Tolerance and Systemic Safety to Support Its Application in Healthy Diets. Food Sci Nutr. 2026;14(7):e72042. doi: 10.1002/fsn3.72042.PubMedUsed to support: Randomized, double-blind 30-day study in 50 healthy Chinese adults taking 24 or 36 g of D-allulose a day: about half reported mild, short-lived stomach symptoms, mostly in the first 3 days; lab changes stayed within normal ranges, and the authors proposed 0.4 g per kg body weight a day as a provisional safe intake.
  12. US Food and Drug Administration. The Declaration of Allulose and Calories from Allulose on Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels: Guidance for Industry FDA Guidance for Industry. 2020;Final guidance, October 2020..SourceUsed to support: Not PubMed-indexed. FDA guidance stating that allulose occurs in small amounts in wheat, raisins, dried figs and other foods; that FDA has not objected to GRAS notices for it; that labels may use 0.4 calories per gram and exclude it from Total and Added Sugars; that about 70 percent of an oral dose is eliminated intact; that it causes only a negligible rise in glucose and insulin; and that it does not promote dental caries.
  13. Sun Y, Hayakawa S, Ogawa M, Fukada K, Izumori K. Influence of a rare sugar, d-Psicose, on the physicochemical and functional properties of an aerated food system containing egg albumen. J Agric Food Chem. 2008;56(12):4789-96. doi: 10.1021/jf800050d.PubMedUsed to support: Food science study: replacing part of the sucrose in butter cookies with D-psicose did not change cook loss but increased crust browning through a nonenzymatic browning reaction.
  14. Xie X, Yu L, Lin Q, Huang D. Low-calorie d-allulose as a sucrose alternative modulates the physicochemical properties and volatile profile of sponge cake. J Food Sci. 2024;89(10):6296-6307. doi: 10.1111/1750-3841.17340.PubMedUsed to support: Food science study: replacing sucrose with D-allulose in sponge cake had little effect on the batter but changed cake volume, texture, color and aroma, linked to starch gelatinization and browning reactions.