Xylitol - A safe, natural sweetener!

Xylitol was first manufactured by a German chemist in 1891. It was re-discovered in Finland during World War II, when there was an acute sugar shortage. It was a low-calorie sugar made from birch bark originally. By 1930, xylitol had been purified, but it wasn't until World War II sugar shortages forced the researchers to look into alternatives. It was also during that time that researchers discovered xylitol's insulin-independent nature (it metabolizes in the body without using insulin). By the 1960's xylitol was being used in Germany, Switzerland, the Soviet Union and Japan as a preferred sweetener. It has been relatively unknown in the USA and Australia, primarily because cheap supplies of cane sugar made the more expensive xylitol less economically viable. Xylitol is a natural substance found in fibrous vegetables and fruits, as well as corn on the cobs and various hardwood trees like birch. Xylitol is produced naturally in our bodies; in fact, we make up to 15 grams daily during normal metabolism. Although xylitol tastes and looks exactly like sugar, that is where the similarities end. Xyitol is really sugar's mirror image. While sugar wreaks havoc on our bodies, xylitol heals and repairs. It also builds immunity, protects against chronic degenerative disease and has anti-aging benefits. Xylitol is considered a five-carbon sugar, which means it is an antimicrobial, preventing the growth of bacteria. Approved by the FDA in 1963, xylitol has no known toxic levels. The only discomfort that some sensitive people may notice initially when taking large amounts is mild diarrhea or slight cramping. Since the body makes xylitol daily, as well as the enzymes to break it all down, any discomfort usually dissapears within a few days as the body's enzymatic activity adjusts to a higher intake. Xylitol has 40% fewer calories than sugar and 75% fewer carbohydrates. Xylitol is also wonderful for dental cavity protection and has been shown to pass benefits of oral health to the unborn or nursing baby of a mother who consumes it regularly. It is also known to protect against ear, nose and throat infections. Xylitol's ability to inhibit growth of bacteria that cause middle infections in young children is amazing! Xylitol has been shown to be effective at inhibiting Candida albicans, a serious systemic yeast problem, and other harmful gut bacteria including H.pylori, which is implicated in many things from ulcers to stomach cancer. It can even reverse bone loss. The health benefits of xylitol are vast! Over 1,500 scientific studies have found that the more you use xylitol, the more you can eliminate sugar cravings, reduce insulin levels and alkalinize your body!