What is Xylitol?

Xylitol is a naturally occurring carbohydrate. It is found in fibrous vegetables and fruit. It also occurs naturally in our bodies – in fact, an average size adult manufactures up to 15 grams of xylitol daily during normal metabolism. Pure xylitol is a white crystalline substance that looks and tastes like sugar.

Xylitol has been used as a sweetener in foods since the 1960's.

Xylitol is only slowly absorbed and partially utilized; therefore a reduced calorie claim is allowed: 2.4 calories per gram or 40% less than other carbohydrates. In addition, the body does not require insulin to metabolize xylitol, which has made it a widely used sweetener for the diabetic diet in some countries. In the U.S., xylitol is approved as a food additive in unlimited quantity for foods with special dietary purposes ...

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Xylitol is widely recognized as a cavity fighter.

Over 25 years of testing in widely different conditions confirm that xylitol use reduces tooth decay rates both in high-risk groups (high caries prevalence, poor nutrition, and poor oral hygiene) and in low-risk groups (low caries incidence using all current prevention recommendations). Sugarfree chewing gums and candies made with xylitol as the principal sweetener have already received official endorsements from six national dental associations ...

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Xylitol has also been shown to provide nasal relief.

The addition of precise amounts of xylitol to saline nasal spray has been shown to make it more effective in moisturizing and clearing the nasal passages. Xylitol helps prevent bacteria from adhering and helps the body’s natural cleansing processes to clear away these harmful bacteria, reducing the risk of infection. In addition, research has shown other medical benefits of xylitol due to its effect on many types of bacteria ...

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Where Xylitol Comes From

Xylitol is found widely in nature. In addition to a variety of fruits and vegetables, Xylitol is also commonly extracted from birch bark. It is important to remember, however, that Xylitol is a specific molecule. The Xylitol extracted from one source is exactly the same as Xylitol from any  other source – just as the sugar (sucrose) extracted from beets is exactly  the same as the sugar we get from sugar cane.