What exactly is Xylitol and what’s so great about it?

Pure Xylitol is a white crystalline substance that looks and tastes just like sugar. It occurs naturally in many fibrous fruits and vegetables and is produced by the human liver each day as part of our normal metabolism. It is the sweetest of all the polyols (sorbitol, maltitol, erythritol etc.) having the same sweetness as cane sugar but without the negative tooth decay or insulin release effects. Xylitol is also slightly alkaline, so if you put some onto your tongue to dissolve, it will produce a slight tingling sensation.

Classified on labels as a carbohydrate, Xylitol has been used in foods since the 1960's and is approved in the U.S. as a food additive in unlimited quantity for foods with special dietary purposes. Xylitol has 40% fewer calories, and an extremely low Glycaemic Index of 7. Because it has little effect on blood sugar levels, it is safe for use by those with diabetes or hypoglycaemia.

Almost 40 years of clinical testing confirms that Xylitol is the best sweetener for dental health. It has been shown that Xylitol helps reduce cavities up to 80% by reducing plaque. It also forms loose bonds with calcium and phosphates, and helps ”heal” acid-affected teeth by making these minerals available for the re-mineralising and strengthening of the damaged enamel. It is a safer natural alternative to Fluoride.

When certain harmful bacteria enter the body, they attach to the membranes of the nose and throat. They begin to culture and grow, causing infection and sickness. Xylitol is one of bacteria's natural enemies. When exposed to Xylitol, harmful bacteria like Strep. pneumo and Haemophilus flu lose their ability to adhere to infected membranes and are not able to grow. Unlike most antibiotics, which kill the majority of bacteria and leave the resistant "super bacteria" behind, Xylitol merely flushes harmful bacteria away. This obviously lessens the occurrence of Inner Ear and Sinus Infections. 

This anti-bacterial action has been confirmed in numerous field studies conducted throughout the world. It reduces the acid secretion of plaque (dental bacterial biofilm). This in turn has led to dental associations in Finland, Norway, Sweden, England, Ireland, Estonia and the Netherlands officially endorsing products containing high levels of xylitol.

Xylitol is recommended by Dentists, Medical Doctors, Periodontists, Paediatricians and many health organisations and health-care professionals worldwide.