Possible xylitol reactions

Bob314159

Saturday I was much more tired than usual - had to take a day nap, even after a full 8 hours sleep. Also had weird feelings- sort of nauseous and light headed. Not for lack of eating or working out too much.

Friday night I had some home made cake that had a sort of stinging feeling on my tongue. My wife said she put too much xylitol in it.

GaleHawkins

The human body response to chemicals can vary greatly from one person to another.

draxe.com/xylitol-side-effects/

Bob314159

That [website] does not make it look safe - I only eat my wife's baking once or twice a week [it's too high in carbs for me]- but maybe she should read that. She is on a gluten/dairy/soy/sugar free eating plan - [not for weight loss]

Dragonwolf

The main adverse effects reported from oral xylitol use at a dosage exceeding 40 to 50 g/day included nausea, bloating, borborygmi (rumbling sounds of gas moving through the intestine), colic, diarrhea, and increased total bowel movement frequency.

40 to 50 grams per day. Think about that one, for a second. That's 10 teaspoons or so (using the "1 teaspoon sugar is 4g" conversion, since xylitol tends to be very similar, though that number may be on the low end due to xylitol's larger granule size and differences in density). More than 3 tablespoons of xylitol. To give an idea of how much that is -- 4 tablespoons is a quarter cup.

If you've basically just low carb-ified your SAD diet, you'll probably reach that amount. Your wife might be reaching that amount. But for a single serving of a once-a-week treat? I doubt it's much of an issue. 3 tablespoons is a lot for someone whose primary foods are things like meat and vegetables.

That's not to say it won't affect you. A lot of people are simply sensitive to sugar alcohols. If you find xylitol is the cause of your tiredness, then by all means, avoid it. I know I get a headache if I eat too much of it, but I can generally do up to about a teaspoon in a day without much issue, but the act of consuming something sweet, in and of itself, also causes me issues, so I don't do it very often.

However, that article strikes me as rather fear-mongering (if you look, one of his criticisms is that it raises blood sugar, but then suggests honey, maple syrup, and dates as alternative sweeteners, all of which also raise blood sugar levels).

lithezebra

I have to mix xylitol with several other low carb sweeteners, because more than a teaspoon or two in 24 hours gives me GI issues. However, it tastes good, and helps counteract the aftertaste of things like Splenda, Erythritol and monkfruit that I mix it with.

I get the zingy feeling on the tongue too, if there's too much xylitol. In general, though, I like the flavor. My husband had zero problems with it - lucky guy.