Xylitol

//Created by Brenna Knutson and Natalia Perez //



//﻿ // **What is Xylitol? ** Xylitol is an organic sweetener that is similar to sugar. It looks and tastes like sugar. You can also find it being used in many different fruits. Xylitol is safe for everyone. [4]


 * What are some side effects of Xylitol? **

Xylitol is generally safe to consume, but in excess it can have negative side effects. Consuming more than six to eight grams can cause a human to experience stomach discomfort, if more than forty grams are consumed within twenty-four hours, diarrhea can occur.[1]




 * Does Xylitol effect animals? **

Xylitol has a very negative affect on animals, especially dogs. If dogs consume Xylitol the result will not turn out good, due to the fact that Xylitol is very toxic to dogs. If a dog eats Xylitol effects usually start to show in just 30 minutes. The dog will most likely have trouble standing up, will start vomiting, and have their blood sugar drop. Overall, keep Xylitol away from all animals, mostly dogs.[3]


 * Why is Xylitol in our food/ what purpose does it have in our food? **

Xylitol is used as a substitution for sugar."It has less of an effect on blood sugar and insulin levels compared to sucrose" [5]. They use Xylitol in sugar free products such as, cookies, candy, and soft drinks. Basically, they use Xylitol in some of our foods instead of sugar being that Xylitol is a better option. [5]


 * What are the pros and cons of using Xylitol in food? **

Xylitol is said to "starve harmful bacteria" in your mouth, so using it in place of sugar, which feeds bacteria, it helps reduce acids that cause cavities. It is also good for diabetics and hypoglycemics because it does not raise blood sugar. "Studies have also shown that 8 grams of Xylitol, taken orally every day, prevented about 40% of ear infections." A significantly negative thing about adding Xylitol to our food, is that eating too much can affect your body the way a laxative might.[2]



Xylitol is equally as sweet as sugar, therefore, it can substitute the same amount of sugar in a recipe for example and can be stored the same too.[4] However, it contains 40% fewer calories than sugar. Xylitol also looks like table sugar, crystalline and white, and is water soluble.[3]
 * What properties does Xylitol have? **


 * Number of Carbon atoms-6 **
 * Number of Hydrogen atoms-14 **
 * Number of Oxygen atoms-6 **


 * Resources **

1. Aydin, Suleyman. "Xylitol Side Effects." //ZHION.com.// ZHION, 2008. Web. 4 November 2010. 

2. "Dental Benefits of Xylitol." //Xylitol.org.// Xylitol, 2010. Web. 4 November 2010. 

3. Peters, Sharon. "Popular Sweetener is toxic for dogs." //USAToday.com// USA Today 2010. Web. 8 November 2010 <[]>

4. "What is Xylitol?" Epic Dental. Epic Institutes 2010. Web. 6 November 2010. <[]>

5. "Xylitol." //Nutritional Wellness.// Nutritional Wellness 2010. Web. 6 November 2010 <[]>

6. "Xylitol, Chemical Information." //Xylitol Chemistry.// Exylitol, 2006. Web. 7 November 2010. <[]>

7. "Xylitol Physical Properties." //DFI, Corporation.// DFI, Corporation, 2007. Web. 4 November 2010. <[]>