Xylitol, A Natural Sweetener With A Lot Going For It

By Valerie Blankenship

(Published in Colorado Springs Health Magazine)

Remember in the movie “Defending Your Life” watching Meryl Streep pig out on ice cream and cake because in heaven, calories don’t count? Well, that may be true in heaven, but here on earth, those same sweets have just added to our ever-expanding waistlines.

Many sweets lovers, in an attempt to control weight and blood sugar as well to protect their teeth and bones, have turned to alternative sweeteners to get their fix. But as most of us are aware, substituting sugar with sugar substitutes can be challenging.

For example, the granddaddy of all sugar substitutes is saccharin. Discovered in 1879, it was used during both world wars to sweeten foods. Later, a board of federal scientists called the artificial sweetener "an adulterant" that should not be used in foods and in 1977, a Canadian study showed convincingly that saccharin was causing bladder cancer in rats. The FDA then passed a law stating that any foods containing saccharin must carry a label that states that they may be hazardous to your health.

Another popular and controversial sweetener, aspartame, also called Nutrasweet or Equal, is currently responsible for 78% of the non-drug complaints to the Food and Drug Administration. Since it came on the market, aspartame users have reported severe toxicity reactions and damage including seizures, vision loss, confusion, severe migraines, tremors, depression, anxiety attacks, and insomnia. (1,2,3)

One sweetener that is fairly new on the market is Splenda, also known as sucralose, an artificial sweetener which is a chlorinated sucrose derivative. The good news about this sweetener is that it is considered to be very good tasting, without the aftertaste associated with many artificial sweeteners. However, inital research has shown that sucralose caused shrunken thymus glands (up to 40% shrinkage) and enlarged liver and kidneys in lab animals.

Another artificial sweeter, Acesulfame K, sold commercially as Sunette or Sweet One, was approved by the FDA in 1988 as a sugar substitute in packet or tablet form, as well as in foods. Compared to aspartame and saccharin, acesulfame K is possibly the most controversial. The additive is inadequately tested, and the FDA based its approval on tests of acesulfame K that fell short of the FDA's own standards. But even those tests indicate that the additive causes cancer in animals, which means it may increase cancer risk in humans.

The all-natural alternatives to sugar are few. Stevia, or sweet leaf is one natural sweetener that has several admirable qualities. Over 1,500 years of use in Paraguay and about 20 years in Japan have not found this plant to be harmful. Scientists who have studied Stevia state that it is safe for human consumption. However, some consumers complain about the aftertaste found in the stevia leaf, which is similar to that found with the use of aspartame.

A New Sweetener With a Difference

But there is a new product on the horizon that is gaining recognition in the US. It is a substance that was discovered over 100 years ago in Germany, called Xylitol (pronounced: Zi-li-tol). Without a domestic supply of sugar during World War II, the Fins began using xylitol. Years later, it was noted that those who used xylitol had less cavities than those who didn’t, thus stimulating research to discovery more about this substance. Manufactured from the xylan of corn cobs, sugar cane or hard wood trees such as birch and oak, XyloPure is a white crystalline powder that looks just like sugar. It is currently available in granular form, as well as a chewing gum, mints and a nose spray. Xylitol is marketed under several trademarked names, including XyloPure and Slim Sweet.

In a market full of sugar substitutes, Xylitol stands out in several areas: it is very sweet, tastes almost exactly sugar, has no bitterness and no after taste. It can be used in equal measurements to sugar in recipes, making it easy to bake with. And although it does not caramelize, it melts easily into hot liquids, cookie and muffin recipes, frostings, cakes, etc. Or it can be used frozen in homemade fruit sorbets, healthy ice creams or alternative ice creams made with soy or rice milk.

Managing Diabetes and Hypoglycemia

Approved by the FDA, this sweetener seems to be well researched, boasting around 1,500 published studies in its favor, with no significant negative reports. A possible aid to dieters, it contains 40% fewer calories than sugar. Xylitol has been tested as safe for use in diabeties and hypoglycemia. Xylitol provides a slow, steady release of energy, much like protein and vegetables, with a very minimal effect on blood sugar and insulin levels. It is efficiently and steadily converted to glucose, so steadily in fact, that in some parts of Europe it is used for intravenous feeding. (4,5)

Inhibits ear infections

Studies indicate that Xylitol helps reduce the incidence of cavities, plaque formation and ear infections, specifically by inhibiting the growth of pneumococci, a frequent cause of respiratory infections Acute Otitus Media (AOM.), a common inner ear infection in children. In a 1998 study published in Pediatrics, a group of 857 children were broken into groups and given either a control sugar syrup, xylitol syrup, control chewing gum, xylitol gum or xylitol lozenges for a period of three months. Researchers looked for incidences of AOM. (1)

The results were exciting. There was a 30% decrease in AOM in the children who received the xylitol syrup over the control syrup group and a 20% reduction in children receiving the lozenges. The most dramatic change was in the children who received the xylitol chewing gum. In this group, the incidence of AOM was reduced 40% as compared to children who received the control chewing gum.

Reduces Cavities

Xylitol can also be a valuable tool in the prevention of cavities. The bacteria mutans streptococci (MS) is a major player in the formation of plaque on teeth. In general, the higher the MS count, the higher the incidence of cavities. Xylitol appears to keep this bacteria from sticking to the teeth and causing plaque formation. Several field studies have reported that cavities have been significantly reduced with the daily use of xylitol-containing candies or gum.

In a three-year study done in the Baltic country of Estonia for example, the use of Xylitol candies resulted in a 33% - 59% reduction in cavities.(2) In another study in Finland (where it is commonly used) the use of xylitol consumption was compared to fluoride treatments, and was found to be superior in its protection against cavities.(3) In fact, only 10% of the of the xylitol group were infected with MS, as compared to 50% of the fluoride group. In addition, the cavity prevention ability of xylitol has been estimated to last for several months or even years after stopping the regular use of xylitol consumption.

1. Bennett, I.L., et al., 1953. "Acute Methyl Alcohol Poisoning: A Review Based on Experiences in an Outbreak of 323 Cases," Medicine, Volume 32, page 431-463.

2. Posner, Herbert S., 1975. "Biohazards of Methanol in Proposed New Uses," Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Volume 1, page 153-171.

3. Roe, O., 1982. "Species Differences in Methanol Poisoning,"CRC Critical Reviews In Toxicology, October 1982, page 275-286.

4. Uhari, M; Kontiokari, T, MD; and Niemela, M., MD, A Noval Use of Xylitol Sugar in Preventing Acute Otitis Media. Pediatrics 1998; 102; 879-884.

5. Alanen P, Isokangas P, Gutmann K: Xylitol candies in caries prevention: results of a field study in Estonian children. Community Den Oral Epidemiol 2000; 28: 218-24.

6. Soderling, E.; Isokangas, P.; Pienihakkinen, K. and Tenovuo, J. Influence of Maternal Xylitol Consumption on Acquisition of Mutan Streptococci by Infants. J Dent Res 79(3): 882-887, 2000

7. Brunzell, John D., Use of fructose, xylitol, or sorbitol as a sweetener in diabetes mellitus. Diabetes Care, August 1978.

8. Makinen KK. Dietary prevention of dental caries by xylitol-clinical effectiveness and safety. Journal of Applied Dentistry 44:16-28.