My diet:

Tagatose (D-Tagatose)

No E-numberSweetenersOrigin: Fermented
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Every diet

VeganYes

Made by an enzyme-catalyzed fermentation.

Gluten-freeYes
HalalYes
KosherYes
KetoYes

Almost no effect on blood sugar.

Low-FODMAPYes

A monosaccharide, and well absorbed.

The short answer
Tagatose is a rare sugar with almost no effect on blood sugar, made by an enzyme from lactose or glucose. It is safe up to 40 grams a day, but above about 10 grams in one sitting it can cause gas and loose stools, which is the main reason it is not in everything.
Use in moderation

Safe in small amounts; may bother some people or raise blood sugar.

E-numberNone
Comes fromFermented
What it doesSweeteners
Glycemic index—
Daily limitNot set
Also calledTagatose, D-Tagatose

Rules by country

🇺🇸 US FDAApproved
🇪🇺 European UnionApproved with limits
🇨🇦 Health CanadaApproved with limits
CaliforniaNo extra rules

Tagatose is generally recognized as safe in the US, with FDA GRAS notices for enzymatically produced D-tagatose. In the EU it is authorized as a novel food with a maximum daily intake of 40 grams, and EFSA's 2011 opinion found no safety concern at that level. Health Canada approved it as a novel food with a safe level of 40 grams a day for adults.

Daily limit: Experts haven’t set a number because normal food amounts are far below any level of concern.

What is it?

It is about 92% as sweet as sucrose with about a third of the calories, and it is almost completely absorbed, so it barely moves blood glucose. That absorption is also why it reaches the colon and is fermented there, which produces the gas and the laxative effect at higher intakes. It has a slightly cooling aftertaste and it browns like sugar, which makes it useful in baking and in confectionery.

Where it comes from: A rare sugar that occurs in small amounts in fruit. Commercial D-tagatose is made by an enzyme-catalyzed conversion of lactose or of glucose, using enzymes derived from bacteria, so the production route is a fermentation one.

Why it’s in food

  • Low-calorie sweetener
  • Baking
  • Candy and confectionery
  • Yogurt and dairy
  • Tabletop sweetener

Often found in

Tabletop sweetenerCandyYogurtBaked goodsIce creamProtein bars

Also listed as: Tagatose, D-Tagatose, D-tagatose, L-sugary tagatose, Tagatose, crystalline

Health & gut impact

Blood sugarBenefit

Tagatose has a glycaemic index close to zero, and it is absorbed by a separate route from glucose, which is why it produces so little rise in blood sugar. That makes it one of the few conventional sugars usable on a ketogenic diet.

EFSA Panel on Novel Foods, scientific opinion on D-tagatose (2011)

Tolerance at higher intakesUnder study

Trials found gas, bloating and loose stools at intakes above roughly 10 grams in a single dose. The regulators' 40 gram daily ceiling is a daily total rather than a single-serve limit, which is why the dose matters.

EFSA Panel on Novel Foods, scientific opinion on D-tagatose (2011)

Prebiotic effectUnder study

Because it reaches the colon intact it is fermented by gut bacteria, and trials report increases in bifidobacteria and a lower colonic pH. That is a genuine effect, and it is also the source of the digestive symptoms at higher doses.

EFSA Panel on Novel Foods, scientific opinion on D-tagatose (2011)

What can I use instead?

Allulose

Ratio: Use a similar weight

Best for: A table sweetener that also browns

Erythritol

Ratio: Use a similar weight; it is bulkier and less sweet

Best for: Baking and ice cream

Related

More sweeteners:

Acesulfame Potassium (Ace-K) E950Acesulfame potassium (Ace-K, E950) is a zero-calorie sweetener approved in the US, EU and Canada. EFSA re-checked it in 2025 and raised its daily limit. It's usually paired with sucralose or aspartame to hide a slightly bitter aftertaste.Use in moderationAdvantame E969Advantame (E969) is an extremely intense sweetener related to aspartame. Regulators approve it, and the amount in a food is tiny next to the daily limit. It does not carry aspartame's phenylalanine warning at normal use.Generally safeAgave syrup (Agave nectar)Agave syrup is a plant sweetener that is mostly fructose. It barely moves blood sugar, and it is still sugar: skip it on keto and in a low-FODMAP elimination.Use in moderationAlluloseAllulose is a "rare sugar" that tastes like sugar but has almost no calories and doesn't raise blood sugar. It's keto-friendly and browns like real sugar in baking.Generally safe

Common questions

Is tagatose safe?

Yes, at the approved intakes. The FDA has granted GRAS status, the EU authorized it as a novel food with a 40 gram daily cap, and Health Canada approved it at the same level. Above roughly 10 grams at once it causes gas and loose stools, which is a tolerability issue rather than a safety one.

Is tagatose keto-friendly?

Yes. It has almost no effect on blood sugar, which is why it is used in keto recipes and in products aimed at people managing diabetes.

Does tagatose have the same calories as sugar?

No. It has about 1.5 calories per gram against sugar's 4, and it is about 92% as sweet, so a spoonful is a little more than a spoonful of sugar.

Is Tagatose safe?

Use in moderation (72/100). Tagatose is generally recognized as safe in the US, with FDA GRAS notices for enzymatically produced D-tagatose. In the EU it is authorized as a novel food with a maximum daily intake of 40 grams, and EFSA's 2011 opinion found no safety concern at that level. Health Canada approved it as a novel food with a safe level of 40 grams a day for adults.

Is Tagatose vegan?

Yes. Made by an enzyme-catalyzed fermentation.

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Scientific sources & regulatory citations
  • EFSA Panel on Novel Foods, scientific opinion on D-tagatose (2011)

CAS 87-29-2