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Xylitol is a natural alcohol obtained from various plants, fruits, and vegetables. It is also derived from birch wood to use for multiple medicinal health issues effectively and beneficially.
Xylitol Sweetener- Remarkable Health Support
Sweeteners give you the flavour of sweetness to quench your sweet-cravings. You may found infinite kinds of sweeteners, but have you explore them all? Well, it is not easy to check them all. But you can read this article to have an idea about one of the best sweetener such as Xylitol. This is a widely used sugar substitute in many foods and eatable snacks. You can check the details that what it is, how to use, and what are the benefits for a different idea.
Xylitol
Xylitol is a chemical compound that is classified as a polyalcohol and sugar alcohol. It is also specified as alditol. It is named on ancient Greek wood by combining with the suffix of “itol.” This is a colourless or white crystalline solid. It is also soluble in water and used as a food additive and sugar substitute. Sugar alcohol is a type of polyol.
It provided better dental health and did not cause cavities. That is why it is added in sugar-free chewing gums, candies, and mints. Although many other sweeteners can be used, this sweetener is much better. However, it is expensive, but it is more beneficial to eliminate sugar in sweet foods. It provides many health benefits by preventing cavities, tooth plaque, ear infections, and other uses.
Nutrition Facts
This sweetener has a lower amount of sugar, calories, and carbs as compared to other sweeteners. It is because it is an alcohol sugar which is beneficial for health. Its nutritional facts are unique and quite supportive for overall health benefits attainment.
Xylitol has four calories; it’s per gram which is 40% lesser than other sweeteners. There is no fructose in it which clearly shows that Xylitol has no carbs. It has fewer calories as compared to the table or white sugar. That is why it did not spike your blood sugar level and did not serve with crabs like other sugars.
Why We Use Xylitol?
As the facts revealed that Xylitol is a sugar-free, low carb sweetener that not only gives you sweetness but also beneficial for your health in many ways. It is widely used as a sugar alter or sugar-free option in chewing gums, mints, and other candies.
Xylitol is an alcohol sugar which makes it quite supportive for sweetness attainment on a safer note. It is used in many chewing gums and mints due to its anti-cavity support. This sweetener carries perks that can hinder the outcomes of cavities, tooth decay, ear issues, and many other related problems.
It is commonly used to prevent the cavities due to its fighting properties to plaque and germs that create cavities in the teeth. On the other hand, it is also used in weight loss plans such as keto diet, low-carb diet, and many other calorie-free diet plans.
They can be add on their ketogenic plan at a moderate level because they have lesser carbs as compared to white sugar. Moreover, its lower glycemic index may help to lower the insulin and blood sugar level. Eventually, it has less amount of carbs, fructose, and glucose that can help you to get into ketosis.
But, try to usee it in minimal or moderate amount. Otherwise, it may give you unwanted outcomes for weight loss. So, go with average usage to support your weight loss and attain other benefits of Xylitol.
Alternatives Of Xylitol
This is a sugar alcohol, chemically known as E 967. It is commonly used as a sugar substitute and is also named as birch sugar. This is a natural constituent of some vegetables and fruits such as cauliflower, berries and plums that make it a Birch sugar. You may need to try other sugar sweeteners such as stevia.
Xylitol can industrially be made by hydrolyzing xylan (hemicellulose) into xylose. This may transform into xylitol. The process of its making is quite expensive. That is why there are many other alternatives to this sweeter. They are:
- Monk fruit extract
- stevia
- Erythritol
- Maple syrup
All these alternatives have their pros and cons. You can add them instead of xylitol. But, try to explore them minutely before you choose them instead of xylitol. All of them have a lower glycemic index and cannot spike your blood sugar and insulin level. They are more sugar-free as compared to white sugar.
But, try to add them according to their strength and benefits. Monk fruit and stevia have their perks, and maple syrup is useful or the sugar-free diet but needs more quantity to get the desired sweetness. Moreover, erythritol is expensive, but it has zero calories and zero carbs than other sweeteners.
Is Xylitol Keto-Friendly?
This is a sugar alcohol that is almost found in the ketogenic diet or any low-carb diet. However, it has a lower amount of fructose that shows a little number of crabs. Thus, you can add in your keto diet but do not use an excessive amount. Use it in a minimal amount and have the perks of getting into ketosis.
Benefits
Xylitol has many benefits because it is naturally occurring alcohol that has sweetness but not harmful sugar support like other sweeteners.
Supportive for Blood Glucose And Insulin Maintenance
Xylitol can help to lower blood glucose and insulin responses. It has been found with facts that beverages and drinks made with xylitol may have better effects on blood glucose and manage the insulin level. They can be used as sucrose substitutes for weight control and have a lesser percentage of calories than sucrose. It has a more suitable glucose index level for glucose.
1. May Improve Dental Health
It has been proven with the facts that Xylitol is good for dental health. That is why most of the dentists recommend using the xylitol-sweetened chewing gums. It also helps to boost dental health and prevent tooth decay. Usually, dental plaque and tooth decay happen due to oral bacteria Streptococcus mutants.
An excessive amount of plaque may lead to immunity attack by the body, and this may cause inflammation to gums. It may lead to gingivitis which is inflammatory gum disease. These bacteria require glucose from our food to get the nourishment, and by replacing sugar with Xylitol, it can reduce the for the harmful bacteria.
This is the fact why it is used despite sugar to protect the tooth decay. Xylitol is unable to provide glucose to the bacteria’s and this they dye and remain away from required food and energy. It starves the harmful bacteria and ceases their growth. Moreover, Xylitol made chewing gums can reduce dangerous bacteria level from 27-75%. It did not affect the level of friendly bacteria’s in the mouth and keep them consistent.
2. Effective For Ear Problems
Xylitol is useful to cut down the glucose facility for plaque bacteria. Most of the issues related to mouth infection because mouth, ears, and nose are interconnected to each other. Problems in one can lead to disturbance in different systems of the body.
Various studies revealed that using the xylitol chewing gum daily can reduce the ear infection up to 40%. This sweetener fight the Candida albicans yeast that protects spreading the disease of mouth, ears, and other organs. It can stick to the surface and reduce the risk of infection.
3. Prevent Dental Cavities
It helps to promote oral health by preventing dental cavities. It can contain the number of mutants streptococci in plaque and saliva. Xylitol may reduce the production of these microorganisms and also tackle their ability to make acid that can lead to cavities.
4. Inhibit The Growth Of Bacteria
Xylitol can inhibit the growth of bacteria by restraining its growth potential. It has been found that xylitol can negatively affect the change of bacteria nasopharyngeal pneumonia. This bacteria found in the nose and can cause pneumonia. But, xylitol tackles the situation by targeting the growth of bacteria.
Is There Any Side Effects?
It is quite familiar with the usage of any kind of sugar and diet based things to use them in a minimal amount and did not use in higher amount. However, everything is healthy if you use it in a suggested amount. Moreover, if you use the higher amount than side effects can occur.
Some of the users reported that xylitol could have digestive difficulties. If a person is already suffering from gastrointestinal disease or other digestive issues, then things become wittier. Its higher dosage can cause:
- Diarrhoea
- Intestinal bloating
- Gas
- Pain
- Inflammation
So, try to limit the intake when you have such issues. It is also used for different purposes and health issues such as cavities treatment and other things. But, ake in recommended dosage and frequency in a day to avoid side effects.
You have to take it thrice a day if you are using it for cavities. It also varies from person to person to have its suggested amount. Some people can tolerate 4-7 grams, but others can take 40g in a day. You can have 40g for children in a day and 100g for adults in a day.
Conclusion
Xylitol is a natural alcohol obtained from various plants, fruits, and vegetables. It is also derived from birch wood to use for multiple medicinal health issues effectively and beneficially. There are many kinds of sweeteners in the market that going to fill your taste buds with sweetness, but they also give you drawbacks. After considering many different sweeteners, personals are trying most of them.
