What is Xylitol? Health benefits of xylitol

Xylitol is a familiar compound that is well known for its beneficial effects on improving oral health. So what is xylitol and does it have any other uses? Take a look at the article below.

What is Xylitol?

What is Xylitol?

According to the website of Vinmec International General Hospital, Xylitol is a type of sugar alcohol (sugar alcohol) that has the characteristics of sugar molecules and alcohol molecules in terms of chemistry. With that structure, xylitol is used as a natural sweetener, it has a sweet taste like sugarcane but has low calories .

Xylitol is found in many fruits and vegetables in small amounts , and it is even produced in small amounts in the human body through normal metabolism.

Because of its naturally sweet taste, xylitol is also a common ingredient in oral care products, sugar-free gum, mints, and diabetes-friendly foods as well as being safe for those in need. Alcoholics.

Health benefits of xylitol

Health benefits of xylitol

As a natural sweetener with low calories, xylitol also has other health benefits such as:

Does not cause spikes in blood sugar or insulin

Does not cause spikes in blood sugar or insulin

Blood sugar and insulin levels can be elevated by consuming a lot of high-fructose sugar, which also causes insulin resistance and other metabolic problems.

However, because xylitol does not contain fructose, it does not raise blood sugar and insulin levels, so it does not have the same harmful health effects as regular sugar.

Xylitol is also considered as a natural sweetener suitable for weight loss because the calories that xylitol bring is very low, 40% less than sugar . This is a great alternative to sugar for people with diabetes, sugar intolerance, obesity or other metabolic problems.

Xylitol promotes oral health

Xylitol promotes oral health

According to Thanh Nien newspaper, it has been determined that xylitol helps promote oral health and prevent tooth decay . Therefore, dentists often recommend that the examiner use xylitol sweetened gum to benefit oral health.

While some plaque on your teeth is normal, excess plaque can stimulate your immune system to attack the bacteria in that plaque. This can lead to gingivitis.

Xylitol is also a substance that the oral bacteria Streptococcus mutans – a bacteria that plays the most important role in plaque , cannot be consumed, because if xylitol is absorbed, their energy production pathway will be blocked. blocked and eventually die. Therefore, the use of xylitol can help you limit the possibility of gingivitis .

Studies have shown that xylitol can increase calcium absorption in the digestive system , which in turn helps protect against osteoporosis and promotes oral health. Besides, the use of xylitol as a sugar substitute can reduce tooth decay by 30-85% .

Xylitol reduces ear infections and yeast

Xylitol reduces ear infections and yeast

Ear infections that occur in some cases are caused by bacteria that live in the mouth, which is quite common in children. And like the bacteria that create plaque, xylitol will also have a similar mechanism to kill bacteria in the mouth.

In addition, xylitol also works to kill the yeast Candida albicans, which is the cause of candida infections . Xylitol also reduces the ability of yeast to adhere to surfaces, thereby helping to prevent infection.

Usage and dosage of xylitol

Usage and dosage of xylitol

The use of xylitol has been studied and the results show that, if you take about 400g (equivalent to 30 tablespoons) of xylitol per day and an average of about 1.5kg xylitol per month , there will be no negative effects on health. health.

In addition, xylitol is also used to replace sugar in sweetening coffee, tea and various recipes in a 1:1 ratio . However, use xylitol with caution if you have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or are intolerant to the FODMAPS diet .

What are the side effects of xylitol?

Xylitol side effects

While xylitols can be well tolerated, they can draw water into the gut or be fermented by gut bacteria if excessive amounts are used. This causes intestinal gas, bloating, and diarrhea.

Xylitol is completely safe and does not have any negative effects if you take it and increase your intake slowly to give your body time to adjust accordingly.

Precautions when using xylitol

Precautions when using xylitol

Although xylitol has no effect on the body’s insulin production and is harmful to human health, it does not mean that it will not be harmful to animals, especially dogs.

Dogs that eat xylitol will produce a large amount of insulin , and the dog’s cells will absorb xylitol from the blood by the same mechanism as glucose absorption in humans, thereby leading to hypoglycemia or a decrease in blood sugar and can lead to hypoglycemia. may lead to death .

Not only that, xylitol will also affect liver function in dogs , possibly causing liver failure if used in high doses. Dogs will be affected even by using xylitol at a concentration of 0.1g per kg of body weight, so be very cautious and store xylitol in a safe place if you have them.

With the information about xylitol and the effects of xylitol on health that Tnhelearning.edu.vn has just shared, hope you will find it useful and use xylitol properly.

Source: Vinmec International General Hospital, Thanh Nien newspaper

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