madthumbs
Joined: 22 Feb 2006
Posts: 8246
Location: Fingerlakes - NY usa |
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 Xylitol (sweetner) -Good for teeth, diabetes, osteoporosis! |
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Other alternate sweeteners
 |  | Xylitol is a naturally occurring form of the five carbon sugar xylose. It is found in many fruits and vegetables such as plums, corn and strawberries. Xylitol is even produced in small amounts in the human body. The main source of commercially produced xylitol are corn cobs and birch bark. In the presence of xylitol, some infection causing bacteria lose the ability to adhere to cells. Without this adhesion, inflection is very limited if not impossible due to inhibited bacterial growth. Scientist at Turku University in Finland first discovered xylitol effect on dental health in the early 1970's. It fights cavities, plaque, dry mouth and bad breath, neutralized plaque acids and even remineralized tooth enamel. Finland researches also find that eight grams of xylitol taken orally every day will prevent about 40% ear infections in children. |
Remember the old ads for Trident gum and how it prevented tooth decay? Now you know why! 
| | Remineralization effects of xylitol on demineralized enamel. We morphologically determined the effects of xylitol on the remineralization of artificially demineralized enamel. The samples were demineralized and then immersed in a remineralizing solution with or without 20% xylitol at 37 degrees C for 2 weeks. Samples immersed in a xylitol solution demonstrated less mineralization in the outer 10 microm of the outermost surface layers, but more mineralization in the middle and deep layerss. The MIP evaluation indicated that remineralization was more prominent in layers at depths of 50-60 microm in the xylitol samples than in the non-xylitol samples. These results indicate that xylitol can induce remineralization of deeper layers of demineralized enamel by facilitating Ca2+ movement and accessibility. Clinical Trial Randomized Controlled Trial PMID: 14960009 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] J Electron Microsc (Tokyo). 2003;52(5):471-6.Miake Y, Saeki Y, Takahashi M, Yanagisawa T. |
Xylitol And Osteoporosis
| | Another exciting benefit from xylitol is its role in reversing bone loss. Studies in Finland found that xylitol maintained bone density in rats that had their ovaries removed. Without ovaries, estrogen levels plummeted and so did the bone density in rats that were not given xylitol. However, in the rats that had ovaries removed and were given xylitol, bone density actually increased.10 Another study showed that xylitol was effective in decreasing age-related bone loss in older male rats by 10%. 11 * Mattila P, Svanberg, M, Knuttila, M. Increased bone volume and bone mineral content in xylitol-fed aged rats. Gerontology 2001;47:300-305. |
Insulin Resistance, Diabetes Hypertension, And Hormonal Imbalances
| | Xylitol has been demonstrated in repeated clinical studies to be very slowly metabolised. In fact, on the glycemic index, which measures how quickly foods enter the bloodstream, sugar is rated at 100 and xylitol at just seven! Xylitol is a natural insulin stabilizer, therefore it causes none of the abrupt rises and falls that occur with sugar. In fact, it actually helps in stopping sugar and carbohydrate cravings. Foods sweetened with xylitol will not raise insulin levels. This makes it a perfect sweetener for people with diabetes as well as those wanting to lose weight. There is a growing consensus amongst anti-aging researchers that maintaining low insulin levels is a key to a successful anti-aging program.
Insulin resistance also plays a significant role in hormonal imbalances, including those that lead to breast cancer. High insulin levels increase the production of estrogens, leading to an estrogen-dominant condition, and also interfere with healthy ovarian function. Insulin resistance is a major cause of a growing hormonal problem called polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). PCOS causes the ovaries to become anovulatory, which means that the normal cyclic production of estrogen followed by progesterone either ceases or becomes dysfunctional. Insulin stimulates the ovaries to produce predominantly male hormones, which, in combination with higher insulin and glucose levels, increase weight gain around the waist-a body type that is a risk factor for breast cancer. Signs that the body is being exposed to higher levels of the male hormones include acne, loss of head hair, and an increase in body hair. Lowering insulin levels is crucial for not only treating PCOS but also resolving most other hormonal imbalances, including those leading to breast cancer.13 * John, Lee MD. What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Breast Cancer. Warner Books, 2002, p. 61.
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Products with Xylitol as a Sweetener Harm Dogs!
| | Dog owners beware: The number of dogs harmed from ingesting xylitol, a sugar substitute used in sugar-free chewing gum, toothpaste and baked goods, is on the rise, according to a recent report from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) Animal Poison Control Center.
In 2003, the ASPCA recorded only three xylitol poisonings, which can cause hypoglycemia, liver failure and even death in dogs. That number skyrocketed to 70 in 2004. In 2005, there were more than 170 cases, and between January and August 2006, there have already been 114 cases reported. |
Side Effects of Consuming Xylitol
| | However, it is known that exceeding the 6 to 8 grams of recommended Xylitol for oral care can cause stomach discomfort and above 40 grams a day as sweetener, it might cause diarrhea. |
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