Five Surprising Facts About Xylitol

xylitol tastes like sugar; health benefits of xylitol; xylitol is plant based.

Five Surprising Facts About Xylitol

20/09/2022

With growing waistlines and increasing obesity rates across Australia and worldwide, it’s no secret that we need to stop the sugar addiction. You can stop the cycle with a natural, healthy alternative to sugar, called xylitol. Xylitol tastes like sugar, and has no aftertaste. Xylitol is plant based. The health benefits of xylitol are numerous, what more incentive to try it out and improve not only your health but that of your family and loved ones.

Research has shown that eating too much processed sugar and hidden sugars can cause health issues ranging from tooth decay to diabetes and even heart problems. Enter xylitol, a naturally sweet, sugar free sweetener, that is naturally-derived, diabetic-friendly and most importantly tastes like sugar, so you will not even notice the change, but it comes without the negative side effects.

Here are five amazing facts that prove why xylitol is more than just another sugar substitute.

Xylitol is plant based  

Xylitol is a sugar free sweetener that is plant based, derived from the birch tree or from corn cob fibre. The sugar is extracted from the wood or fibre. It is often called a “wood sugar”.

Europeans Used Xylitol During World War II

This amazing little sugar substitute has been used for decades across Europe! Xylitol was first discovered in the late 1800s by French and German scientists and was later used during World War II as there was a sugar shortage. It finally made its way to Australia in 2002, when SweetLife Australia became the first company to sell xylitol in the country.

Your Body Recognizes Xylitol

Humans produce small amounts of xylitol as part of our natural metabolic process. This is why our bodies easily recognise and digest xylitol, and why it doesn’t affect our bodies the way processed sugars or sugar substitutes do. Xylitol is also naturally occurring in small amounts in various fruits and vegetables.

Xylitol Tastes Like Sugar

Other chemically processed sugar alternatives can have a bitter aftertaste that alters the flavour of foods. This is not true of xylitol! It looks and tastes just like sugar and can be used in 1:1 substitute in tea and coffee, baking or cooking. Your favourite desserts will taste just as delicious as they always have, and they’ll be better for you!

Xylitol has Amazing Health Benefits

Researchers in Europe have found that xylitol improves dental health, and in Finland scientists have used xylitol to prevent earaches and infections in children. Some research also indicates xylitol boosts gut health by feeding good bacteria and starving bad bacteria.  With xylitol, you can have your sweets (in moderation, of course!) without the guilt or ill effects that come with processed sugar and hidden sugars. Visit our recipes section to learn how to use xylitol in baking, or purchase a packet of Perfect Sweet™ today and start your journey to better health!

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