Xylitol - Shorts

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients,  July, 2003  by Jule Klotter

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Fran Gare, ND, has written a book called The Sweet Miracle of Xylitol (Basic Health Publications, Inc., ISBN 1-59120-038-5). Dr. Gare came upon xylitol when she was seeking sugar substitutes for her clients. She was director of nutrition at The Atkins Center for Clinical Nutrition as well as a private practitioner, who worked with overweight and diabetic patients.

Xylitol is produced by the body while metabolizing glucose. It is also found in berries, plums, mushrooms, lettuce, hardwoods, and corncobs. The Finnish people began using xylitol, made from birch tree bark, as a sweetener during the sugar shortage after World War II. The FDA approved its use over twenty-five years ago. Dr. Gare says that xylitol "looks and tastes like sugar but with fewer calories and carbohydrates, and teaspoon for teaspoon behaves like sugar in most of your recipes (however, it will not caramelize)."

In addition to its benign effect on blood sugar levels, research has found that xylitol has very beneficial effects on teeth. Eating xylitol-sweetened food or chewing xylitol gum creates an alkaline environment that is inhospitable to bacteria that causes tooth decay. Not only have studies shown that xylitol inhibits plaque and tooth decay by 80%, it also promotes remineralization of tooth enamel. Some studies have also indicated that chewing xylitol gum and mints decreases the incidence of middle ear infections in children as well as other infections (e.g., sinus and lung infections) that begin in the mouth.

Xylitol is sold as Perfect Sweet, Miracle Sweet, and Healthy Sweet in the US. Several internet sites, including www.xylitolproducts.com and www.xylitolworks.com, sell xylitol gum, candies, and other products. Dr. Gare says that first-time Xylitol users who eat too much of it may experience diarrhea at first. The diarrhea should disappear once the body's xylitoldigesting enzymes turn on, usually within ten days. In addition to information about xylitol research, The Sweet Miracle of Xylitol includes sugar-free dessert recipes made with xylitol and a three-week diet plan that will help sugar addicts kick their habit.

COPYRIGHT 2003 The Townsend Letter Group
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