Sugar Free Xylitol – The Perfect Sweetener For Diabetics!

By Mike Calabrese

Why is Xylitol the perfect sweetener for diabetics? Because it’s 100% sugar and gluten-free! Diabetics can now enjoy the same sweet taste of sugar without posing any risk whatsoever to their health. The best part of it all? They don’t have to sacrifice the taste! The similarities in taste between regular sugar and xylitol are remarkable – so remarkable that you can’t even notice a difference. Xylitol has been gaining a lot of momentum over the past few years as the go-to alternative to sugar not only because of it’s popularity among diabetics, but because of it’s healthy benefits.

Those that make the switch from sugar to xylitol will be happy to learn that in addition to being 100% natural, xylitol has 40% fewer calories than sugar, reduces bacteria, prevent tooth decay, fight cavities, and even reduce ear infections! Xylitol is so effective in reducing bacteria in your mouth, that using it on a daily basis will promote  better hygiene, as proven in several scientific studies. As for the 40% reduction in calories, I personally know many people that would make the switch based on that little piece of nutritional information alone! With the other healthy benefits on top of that, the switch is quite appealing for good reason – and it’s become apparent in the growth of the xylitol products retail industry.

Diabetics will also enjoy the fact that xylitol comes in many common and accessible forms. A large outgrowth of xylitol retailers now offer their products in the form of sweetener (which can be used in cereal, coffee, for baking, etc.), gum, mints, toothpaste, mouthwash, and even chocolate. So what are you waiting for? Make the switch today and start on your path to a healthier lifestyle!

Epic Dental is a leading retailer of sugar free xylitol dental products, both online and offline. The customer service-oriented retailer will do anything to keep their customers smiling and to teach those who have yet to learn about the healthy benefits of Xylitol. Visit them on the web at Epic Dental or call them toll free at 1-800-494-3742.

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Xylitol

Xylitol  is an organic compound with the formula (CHOH)₃(CH₂OH)₂.  This sugar alcohol is used as a naturally occurring sugar substitute found in the fibres of many fruits and vegetables, including various berries, corn husks, oats, and mushrooms.  It can be extracted from corn fibre, birch, raspberries, plums, and corn. Xylitol is roughly as sweet as sucrose with only two-thirds the food energy. As with most sugar alcohols, initial consumption can result in bloating, diarrhea, and flatulence, although generally rather less so than other sugar alcohols like sorbitol.

Properties

One teaspoon (5 mL) of xylitol contains 9.6 calories, as compared to one teaspoon of sugar, which has 15 calories. Xylitol has virtually no aftertaste, and is advertised as “safe for diabetics and individuals with hyperglycemia.” This tolerance is attributed to the lower impact of xylitol on a person’s blood sugar, compared to that of regular sugars.

Dental care

Xylitol is a “tooth friendly” non-fermentable sugar alcohol.  A systematic review study on the efficacy of xylitol has indicated dental health benefits in caries prevention, showing superior performance to other polyols (poly-alcohols). Early studies from Finland in the 1970s found that a group chewing sucrose gum had 2.92 decayed, missing, or filled (dmf) teeth compared to 1.04 in the group chewing xylitol gums. In another study, researchers had mothers chew xylitol gum 3 months after delivery until their children were 2 years old. The researchers found that children in the xylitol group had “a 70% reduction in cavities (dmf).”  Recent research confirms a plaque-reducing effect and suggests that the compound, having some chemical properties similar to sucrose, attracts and then “starves” harmful micro-organisms, allowing the mouth to remineralise damaged teeth with less interruption. (However, this same effect also interferes with yeast micro-organisms and others, so xylitol is inappropriate for making yeast-based bread, for instance.)

Xylitol-based products are allowed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to make the medical claim that they do not promote dental cavities.

A recent study demonstrated that as a water additive for animals, xylitol was effective in reducing plaque and calculus accumulation in cats.

Diabetes

Possessing approximately 40% less food energy,  xylitol is a low-calorie alternative to table sugar.  Absorbed more slowly than sugar, it does not contribute to high blood sugar levels or the resulting hyperglycemia caused by insufficient insulin response.

Safety

Xylitol has no known toxicity in humans. In one study, the participants consumed a diet containing a monthly average of 1.5 kg of xylitol with a maximum daily intake of 430 g with no apparent ill effects.  Like most sugar alcohols, it has a laxative effect because sugar alcohols are not fully broken down during digestion; albeit ten times weaker than sorbitol. The effect depends upon the individual. In one study of 13 children, 4 experienced diarrhea when consuming over 65 grams per day.  Studies have reported that adaptation occurs after several weeks of consumption. 

Dogs that have ingested foods containing high levels of xylitol (greater than 100 milligram of xylitol consumed per kilogram of bodyweight) have presented with low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) which can be life-threatening.  Low blood sugar can result in a loss of coordination, depression, collapse and seizures in as soon as 30 minutes.   Intake of very high doses of xylitol (greater than 500 – 1000 mg/kg bwt) has also been implicated in liver failure in dogs, which can be fatal.  These are points of controversy, however, as earlier World Health Organization studies using much higher doses on dogs for long periods showed no ill effect.