Additive sugar can be an unhealthy aspect Best in modern diet.
For this reason, people have turned to natural alternatives like Xylitol.
Xylitol is superficial and tastes like sugar, but has fewer calories and does not increase blood sugar.
Some studies show that it can improve dental health and have many other important benefits.
This article helps give a detailed view of Xylitol and its impact on your health.
What is Xylitol and how is it produced?
Xylitol is classified as a alcohol derivative of sugar (or polyalcohol).
Alcohol derivatives of sugar-like bonds of a sugar molecule and alcohol molecule. This structure gives them the ability to stimulate receptors that sense sweetness on the tongue.
Xylitol is found in small amounts in many fruits and vegetables, so this sugar is considered to be of natural origin. The human body can even produce small amounts of Xylitol through normal metabolism.
This is a popular ingredient in gum, candy, mint, diabetic-friendly foods and dental care products.
Xylitol has a sweet taste similar to regular sugar, but has less than 40% of the amount calories :
- Sugar: 4 calories / gram.
- Xylitol: 2.4 calories / gram.
Xylitol looks like this; it is basically a white powder crystal:
Clearly, xylitol is a refined sweetener, so it does not contain any vitamins, minerals or the protein all. In that sense, it contains "empty" calories.
Xylitol can be processed from plants such as plants But it can also be made by an industrial process that converts a so-called plant fiber into xylitol.
Although alcohol derivative of sugar is technically carbohydrate, most of them do not increase blood sugar and therefore are not considered "real" carb, making xylitol popular in products. Low carb .
In addition, do not be threatened by derivatives alcohol of sugar in xylitol. This ingredient really has nothing to do with alcohol that makes people drunk. Alcohol derivatives of safe sugar for alcoholics.
Crux : Xylitol is a sweetener called alcohol derivative of sugar and is found in some plants. It looks like regular sugar and tastes like sugar, but has 40% less calories.
Xylitol has a very low blood sugar index and does not accumulate blood sugar or insulin
Due to high levels of fructose, it can also lead to insulin resistance and all types of metabolic disorders when consumed excessively (in more detail in This news ).
Xylitol does not contain fructose and has a negligible effect on blood sugar and insulin .
So, is not What is the harmful effect of sugar on xylitol completely?
The glycemic index (a measure of how food affects blood sugar levels) when using xylitol is only 7, while using normal sugar, the blood sugar index increases to 60-70 .
Xylitol may also be considered as a sweetener for people weight loss , because it contains 40% less calories than sugar.
For people with diabetes, at risk of diabetes, obesity or other metabolic problems, xylitol is an option. great instead of sugar.
Although this has not been studied in humans, studies in mice xylitol can improve symptoms of diabetes, reduce belly fat and even prevent weight gain on diets .
Crux: Unlike sugar, xylitol has a negligible effect on blood sugar and insulin. Some studies in rats showed impressive benefits for metabolic health when consuming xylitol.
Xylitol causes the bad bacteria in the mouth to starve and bring major benefits to oral health
Many dentists recommend using xylitol gum for very good reasons.
Because many studies show that xylitol has strong benefits for oral health and prevents tooth decay .
One of the leading risk factors for tooth decay is a type of oral bacteria called . This type of bacteria is primarily responsible for causing plaque.
Although there are some plaque on the teeth that is normal, but when uncontrolled, the immune system starts attacking the bacteria in the teeth. This can lead to gum disease .
This type of bacteria in the mouth absorbs glucose from food, but they cannot absorb xylitol. Replacing sugar with xylitol thus reduces the available food source of harmful bacteria .
However, the effectiveness of xylitol far exceeds that, even if bad bacteria cannot use xylitol to live, they still eat it.
When bacteria eat xylitol, they cannot take glucose, so their pathways are basically "blocked" and they will die.
In other words, when you chew gum containing xylitol (or use it as a sweetener), the sugar metabolism in bacteria will be blocked and they will actually "starve" .
In another study, using xylitol gum reduced bad bacteria levels from 27-75% , while it has no effect on friendly bacteria .
Xylitol also has other dental benefits :
- Increases calcium absorption in the digestive system, good for your teeth and also protects against osteoporosis .
- Increases the production of saliva. Saliva contains calcium and phosphate, removed from the mouth with teeth and supported by xylitol.
- Reducing the acidity of saliva, helps counteract degradation of tooth enamel due to acid.
Many studies show that xylitol, by replacing sugar or adding it to the diet, can reduce damage and tooth decay about 30-85% .
Because inflammation is the root of many chronic diseases, it means reducing inflammation and gingivitis can benefit the rest of the body.
Crux : Xylitol can make harmful bacteria in the mouth hungry, reduce plaque and tooth decay. This can help prevent tooth decay and gum disease.
Xylitol reduces childhood ear infections and counteracts Candida Albican fungus
Mouth, nose and ears communicating with each other.
For this reason, live bacteria in the mouth can lead to a common problem in children.
In conclusion, xylitol can starve some bacteria, the same way it does for plaque-forming bacteria .
In a study of recurring children with ear infections, daily use of xylitol gum reduced 40% of infections .
Xylitol also helps fight fungi reduce the ability to stick to the surface and cause infection .
Crux: Xylitol-containing chewing gum can reduce children's ear infections and help fight infections caused by Candida albican fungi.
Xylitol has several other potential health benefits
There are a number of studies in mice that show that xylitol can increase collagen production, which may help fight the effects of aging on the skin .
Xylitol may also be protected against osteoporosis, leading to increased bone mass and bone mineral content in mice .
Although xylitol can kill "bad" bacteria in the mouth, it can also feed bacteria in the gut, which is a good thing .
In this respect, Xylitol functions like soluble fiber.
Crux : Xylitol can help increase collagen production and reduce the risk of osteoporosis. It also seems to act as a prebiotic, which is nourishing friendly bacteria in the gut.
There is a big problem ... Xylitol is very toxic to dogs
In humans, xylitol is slowly absorbed and has no measurable effect on insulin production.
Unfortunately, this is not applicable to dogs.
When dogs eat xylitol, their bodies mistakenly think that they eat into glucose and start producing large amounts of insulin.
When this happens, the dog's cells start taking glucose from the blood stream. This can lead to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar level) and serious death .
Xylitol may also harm liver function in dogs, with high doses causing liver failure .
Remember that a dog that needs to eat only about 0.1 g / kg is already affected, so a Chihuahua that weighs 3 kg (6-7 lbs) will get sick when eating only 0.3 grams of xylitol. This amount is less than the amount of xylitol found in a chewing gum.
So, if you have a dog, keep xylitol out of the reach of the dog (or not in the house). If you believe your dog has accidentally eaten xylitol, take it to your veterinarian immediately.
Crux : Xylitol can be extremely toxic to dogs, leading to hypoglycemia and / or liver failure.
Side effects and dosages
Sugar alcohol derivatives can lead water into the intestine or ferment themselves with bacteria.
This can lead to bloating, heartburn and diarrhea.
However, our bodies seem to adjust very well to absorb xylitol.
If you gradually increase consumption and give your body time to adjust, you probably won't experience any negative effects.
If you are not sure if you can tolerate alcohol derivatives, consider staying close to the toilet the first time you eat a significant amount of xylitol.
It can be said that long-term consumption of xylitol seems to be completely safe.
In one study, subjects consumed xylitol averagely 3.3 lbs (1.5 kg) per month, with a daily maximum of 400 grams without any negative effects (27 .
People use sugar derivatives of sugar to sweeten all kinds of things ... the coffee , tea and various recipes. You can replace sugar with xylitol in 1: 1 ratio.
If you have or intolerance be careful with sugar derivatives and consider avoiding them.
Message for you
If you want to sweeten anything, xylitol is a great choice.
While people still talk about the sweetest substance, whether they harm you or not, research shows that xylitol provides real health benefits.
It does not increase blood sugar or insulin, does not show that bacteria produce plaque in the mouth and feed friendly bacteria in the intestine.
What more do you expect from a sweetener?
