A Healthy Alternative to Sugar

That substance is xylitol. Xylitol is used in more than 35 countries. It was discovered in 1891 by a German chemist and has been used as a food sweetener since the 1960s. Xylitol has recently gained acceptance as an alternative sweetener due to its role in fighting dental cavities.

Where Xylitol is Found

Xylitol occurs naturally in many fruits and vegetables and is even produced by the human body during normal metabolism. It is made from plants such as birch and other hardwood trees and fibrous vegetation.

Uses for Xylitol

It has the same sweetness and bulk as sucrose with one-third fewer calories. Xylitol is used in chewing gum, gumdrops, hard candy, throat lozenges, cough syrups, children’s chewable multivitamins, toothpastes, mouthwashes and other products. Consuming too much Xylitol can cause digestive upset.

Xylitol Defeats Germs

Numerous studies around the world have shown that xylitol works as a great tooth protector. Unlike antibiotics, which attack germs, xylitol does the invading germs one better.

The substance prevents germs from taking root in a person’s mouth and teeth. If germs can’t find a home, they can’t breed and cause problems. Research shows that xylitol prevents dental plaque bacteria from growing.

Oral Hygiene and Xylitol

In the past 35 years, several hundred studies have shown xylitol’s healthy characteristics. Studies in Eastern Europe, Scandinavia and Central America have demonstrated the sugar substance’s ability to promote good oral hygiene.

Fewer Cavities With Xylitol

One study in Estonia found that children given xylitol-enhanced gun or candy several times a day saw cavity production drop by nearly 60 percent. A study in Finland found similar results.

A study in Belize found that children who chewed gum packed with xylitol had a 27 percent less chance of developing cavities.

A Scandinavian study added further evidence to the benefits of xylitol. Researchers there determined that babies of moms who chewed xylitol gum during their pregnancies had a lower rate of cavity-causing bacteria in their tiny mouths.