Xylitol is a good-tasting sweetener that is reduced in calories, is dentally safe and that features a host of other health benefits. Xylitol has the same sweetness and bulk as sucrose, but with one-third fewer calories and no unpleasant aftertaste. It dissolves quickly and produces a cooling sensation in the mouth. In more than 35 countries, Xylitol is approved for use in foods, pharmaceuticals and oral health products.
Discovered in 1891 by German chemist Emil Fischer, Xylitol occurs naturally in many fruits and vegetables and is even produced by the human body during normal metabolism. It is a white, odorless crystalline powder with a pleasant, sweet taste. Produced commercially from plants such as birch and other hardwood trees and fibrous vegetation, Xylitol has been used as a sweetening agent in human food since the 60s.
It continues to gain acceptance as an alternative sweetener due to its scientifically proven role in reducing the development of dental caries (cavities) as much as 80%. Other health benefits include the remineralization of existing cavities, the hardening of tooth enamel and repair of small emerging cavities, the cessation or retardation of plaque formation, and the increase of saliva secretion to aid in the repair of damaged tooth enamel.
