Its primary purpose is to reduce intracranial or intraocular pressure via osmosis provide bulk and sweetness without full caloric absorption and act as a cryoprotectant or diagnostic agent in renal function tests.

D-Mannitol (C6H14O6) is a white odorless crystalline sugar alcohol with a sweet taste featuring a straight-chain hexitol structure derived from mannose with six hydroxyl groups and a melting point around 165 170 C