With respect to oral health, research has shown that xylitol helps reduce the formation of plaque, inhibits dental cavities, and stimulates the production of saliva. Being lower on the glycemic index makes xylitol useful for diabetics or people on low carbohydrate diets. As a sugar substitute, it is lower on the glycemic index, a scale that ranks carbohydrate-rich foods by how much they raise blood sugar levels, compared to glucose. Xylitol has the same sweetness as sucrose but contains only about two-thirds the calories. Why is xylitol increasing in popularity and use? Xylitol is also showing up in over-the-counter nasal sprays, skin care products, laxatives, digestive aids, allergy medicines, dry mouth lozenges, sleep supplements, as well as prescription human medications, especially those formulated as quick dissolve tablets or liquids.

Example products include sugar-free gum, candies, breath mints, baked goods, peanut butter, pudding snacks, cough syrup, chewable or gummy vitamins, and supplements or over the counter medications, mouthwash, and toothpaste. Over recent years, the number and types of products that contain xylitol has greatly increased. In many countries it has been approved for use in oral care products, pharmaceuticals, and as a food additive. Xylitol is manufactured into a white powder that looks and tastes similar to sugar. Although it has been used as a sugar substitute for decades, its popularity has increased dramatically in the last decade due to its low glycemic index and dental plaque fighting properties. Chemically, it is a sugar alcohol, and is found naturally in berries, plums, corn, oats, mushrooms, lettuce, trees, and some other fruits.Ĭommercially, most xylitol is extracted from corn fiber or birch trees. Xylitol is a naturally occurring substance that is widely used as a sugar substitute.

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