Xylitol

About Xylitol

Xylitol is a five carbon sugar alcohol, or polyol, that tastes about as sweet as table sugar but provides fewer calories and has a much smaller effect on blood glucose. It occurs naturally in small amounts in some fruits and vegetables and is produced commercially from xylan rich plant material such as birch wood and corn cobs. Oral bacteria such as Streptococcus mutans cannot ferment xylitol to acid, so it does not contribute to tooth decay, and studies in Finland in the 1970s, known as the Turku sugar studies, drew attention to its dental potential. It is widely used in sugar free chewing gum, mints and oral care products, although the size of its anticavity benefit beyond replacing sugar is debated. Like other polyols, large amounts can cause gas and a laxative effect. Xylitol is highly toxic to dogs, triggering a rapid insulin surge and potentially liver failure. Recent observational research has associated higher circulating xylitol with cardiovascular events, and this is under further study.