Your views on xylitol?

Debbiedebbiey

Was getting ready to place order, thought I'd run it past MFP's first ; )

Twibbly

You're going to get a wide variety of opinions. Make sure you keep it away from dogs, it doesn't take much xylitol to kill them.

Personally, I don't do well with any of the artificial sweeteners. I'm hoping that once my gut is healed a bit more, I can add some back in.

KETOGENICGURL

The 'non-sugars' made from plants are not Artificial like Splenda, and are found to be far safer coming from a plant and less processed than any other substitute.

Have you looked at Erythritol? I bought SWERVE Erythritol I like it, very fine powder, BUT do not add it to HOT food, it lumps to the spoon like cement, add to cold foods, first, like cream cheese, then maybe heat.. LoHanGuo is a fruit +xylitol, taste tangy sweet..the are all pricey so buy small first to see if you like it.

I prefer Stevia as liquid and powder form.
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*Xylitol is a naturally occurring alcohol found in most plant material, including many fruits and vegetables…too much >30-40g a day can cause diarrhea or gas, but is considered safe for most.

IslandSneezerooo

I'm a long time user of xylitol... I'm allergic to aspartame and splenda, most stevia has a nasty aftertaste to me, erythritol also has a weird aftertaste and flat flavour to me...

Pros are that it is has a 1:1 sweetness factor to sugar. A lot of low glycemic sweeteners need a lot more in a recipe to get the same level of sweetness. It also doesn't have that flat flavour of most other sweetener alternatives. No aftertaste either. Dissolves like sugar when heated and retains its sweetness.

Cons... I can't use more than a tablespoon over the course of a day or I end up with the runs. It's also very expensive (but given how little you can use at once, not really an issue). Doesn't dissolve unless heated, stays crunchy in cold things like yogourt. (You can grind it down fine to mix in better with cold things.) Toxic to pets. Keep away from cats and dogs... If you buy things like gum or candy, make sure it's kept in a place they can't get at it.

GiGiBeans

I like it for baking, otherwise I use stevia.

Mistizoom

Xylitol can be good for some applications and it is also beneficial to dental health. I have some, but I prefer to use an erythritol + stevia blend (homemade) in baked goods. Xyltiol also has a bit of a higher glycemic index than erythtriol and some calories, and also in some people can cause a bit of gastric upset, so that's another reason I use it less frequently. IIRC, xylitol has a similar amount of sweetness to sugar (measure for measure) while erythritol alone is only about 70% as sweet (and thus why erythritol is commonly blended with stevia or other low carb sweeteners). Here's a fairly good summary on xylitol: http://healthyindulgences.net/ingredients-guide/xylitol/

JPW1990

I'm partial to erythritol because it's truly 0 carb, and xylitol you still have to count half the carbs in it. You can order the NOW brand on Amazon for a pretty decent price.

radiii

JPW1990 wrote: »

I'm partial to erythritol because it's truly 0 carb

Ditto.

glossbones

I think you'll find a container will last you a LONG time. I prefer liquid stevia, because we have pets, and because I do feel a twinge in the belly when I have too much xylitol.

Having said that, I used a recipe I found in this group for home made toothpaste, which contains xylitol (it's apparently good for your tooth enamel), and I really like it.

Quatroux

There is (probably) no free ride here. I personally try to keep the same control of sugar substitutes as I do for sugar itself.

I can assure you that the chemists that make "artificial" substitutes have the same morals as the scientists that process and package the "natural" sugar substitutes. None of them spend their days making a product they know will hurt anyone. I worked for a Fortune 500 chemical manufacturer and those people were just as nice and concerned about health as any Prius driving Whole Foods shopper. The only difference is that those chemists can clearly explain why a "natural" chemical is not inherently better or safer than a manmade one.

I am not trying to rant in anyone's direction. Instead, I would like to point out that natural products aren't inherently safer. Eat enough of them and your body will show you exactly what it thinks of them. Each one has a unique risk and some appear to have less side effects than others. Educate yourself and make the best choice for you based on the data available today. I figure we know so little about sugar cravings, effects of substitutes on glucose levels, and health side effects of newer sugar alternatives that I am uncomfortable embracing any of them on a regular basis.

Not sure I really contributed to the topic, but figured someone might be thinking similar thoughts as me.

KnitOrMiss

Quatroux wrote: »

There is (probably) no free ride here. I personally try to keep the same control of sugar substitutes as I do for sugar itself.

I can assure you that the chemists that make "artificial" substitutes have the same morals as the scientists that process and package the "natural" sugar substitutes. None of them spend their days making a product they know will hurt anyone. I worked for a Fortune 500 chemical manufacturer and those people were just as nice and concerned about health as any Prius driving Whole Foods shopper. The only difference is that those chemists can clearly explain why a "natural" chemical is not inherently better or safer than a manmade one.

I am not trying to rant in anyone's direction. Instead, I would like to point out that natural products aren't inherently safer. Eat enough of them and your body will show you exactly what it thinks of them. Each one has a unique risk and some appear to have less side effects than others. Educate yourself and make the best choice for you based on the data available today. I figure we know so little about sugar cravings, effects of substitutes on glucose levels, and health side effects of newer sugar alternatives that I am uncomfortable embracing any of them on a regular basis.

Not sure I really contributed to the topic, but figured someone might be thinking similar thoughts as me.

I believe this to be true. I have problems with liquid Stevia with "natural flavors." I do not know what they are, but I can use a powdered version that doesn't have this, and I don't get headaches. I have the one with the natural flavors, and migraine city! So yes, I believe each person has tolerances and such. I don't particularly care which process my choice comes from as long as my body tolerates it well all the way around. I try not to limit myself because my body often responds in non-traditional ways.

Dragonwolf

I'm a fan of xylitol. I originally bought some for homemade toothpaste, and ended up using it as my sweetener for smoothies and such (my Vitamix pulverized it, so it not dissolving is a non-issue in them). It is annoying that it doesn't dissolve in cold stuff, though.

I would recommend making sure to get Birch derived xylitol, though. Otherwise, it's made from corn (and if you're in the US, that pretty much means it's from the likely-GMO monocrop and adding monetary support to the damaging industrial practices).

This is the one I got last time I bought it. The granules are kind of big, but you can grind it finer as needed -- http://www.amazon.com/Health-Garden-Kosher-Xylitol-Product/dp/B003CNOUWQ/