Q1: What exactly is Xylitol?
A: Xylitol is a natural low-glycemic sugar manufactured from birch trees or other natural xylan-rich sources. It's metabolized independantly of insulin and is safe for diabetics or anyone seeking a healthier life-style.

Pure xylitol is a white crystalline substance that looks and tastes like sugar. On food labels, xylitol is classified broadly as a carbohydrate and more narrowly as a polyol. Because xylitol is only slowly absorbed and partially utilized, a reduced calorie claim is allowed: 2.4 calories per gram or 40% less than other carbohydrates.

Xylitol has been used in foods since the 1960’s. It is a popular sweetener for the diabetic diet in some countries. In the U.S., xylitol is approved as a food additive in unlimited quantity for foods with special dietary purposes.

Over 25 years of testing in widely different conditions confirm that xylitol is the best sweetener for teeth. Xylitol use reduces tooth decay rates both in high-risk groups (high caries prevalence, poor nutrition, and poor oral hygiene) and in low risk groups (low caries incidence using all current prevention recommendations). Sugarfree chewing gums and candies made with xylitol as the principal sweetener have already received official endorsements from six national dental associations.

Q2. Who discover Xylitol?
A. Discovered in 1891 by German chemist Emil Fischer, xylitol has been used as a sweetening agent in human food since the 1960s. Xylitol is a white crystalline powder that is odorless, with a pleasant, sweet taste. It is gaining increasing acceptance as an alternative sweetener due to its role in reducing the development of dental caries (cavities).

Xylitol occurs naturally in many fruits and vegetables and is even produced by the human body during normal metabolism. Produced commercially from plants such as birch and other hard wood trees and fibrous vegetation, xylitol has the same sweetness and bulk as sucrose with one-third fewer calories and no unpleasant aftertaste. It quickly dissolves and produces a cooling sensation in the mouth.

Xylitol is currently approved for use in foods, pharmaceuticals and oral health products in more than 35 countries. Xylitol is used in foods such as chewing gum, gum drops and hard candy, and in pharmaceuticals and oral health products such as throat lozenges, cough syrups, children's chewable multivitamins, toothpastes and mouthwashes. In the United States, xylitol is approved as a direct food additive for use in foods for special dietary uses.

Q3 . What are the benefits of Xylitol?
A. Good Taste with No Unpleasant Aftertaste.
Helps Reduce the Development of Dental Caries.
Reduces Plaque Formation.
Increases Salivary Flow to Aid in the Repair of Damaged Tooth Enamel.
Provides One-Third Fewer Calories than Sugar – about 2.4 Calories per Gram.
May Be Useful as an Alternative to Sugar for People with Diabetes on the Advice of their Health Care Providers.

Q4 . Why Use Xylitol?
A. Effective - Studies using xylitol as either a sugar substitute or a small dietary addition have demonstrated a dramatic reduction in new tooth decay, along with arrest and even some reversal of existing dental caries. Xylitol provides additional protection that enhances all existing prevention methods. This xylitol effect is long-lasting and possibly permanent. Low decay rates persist even years after the trials have been completed.

Natural - Xylitol is right here, inside, already. Our bodies produce up to 15 grams of xylitol from other food sources using established energy pathways. Xylitol is not a strange or artificial substance, but a normal part of everyday metabolism.
Xylitol is widely distributed throughout nature in small amounts. Some of the best sources are fruits, berries, mushrooms lettuce, hardwoods, and corn cobs. One cup of raspberries contains less than one gram of xylitol.

Chewing is a natural process and chewing gums provide some exercise lacking in a refined diet. If chewing is uncomfortable, xylitol mints or candies can also stimulate
saliva, the natural tooth protector.

Safe - In the amounts needed to prevent tooth decay (less than 15 grams per day), xylitol is safe for everyone.

Convenient - Xylitol can be conveniently delivered to your teeth via chewing gum, tablets, or even candy. You can implement your xylitol program anywhere, anytime. It fits right in with the most frantic schedules. You don’t need to change your normal routine to make room for xylitol.

Enjoyable - Some health regimens require iron willpower, discipline, and commitment. But xylitol tastes so good that it becomes automatic. Children love it! Nagging is minimized.

Q5. How to use Xylitol
A. It is not necessary to replace all sweeteners to get the dental benefits of xylitol. Look for xylitol sweetened products that encourage chewing or sucking to keep the xylitol in contact with your teeth. The best items use xylitol as the principal sweetener.

How Much? - Studies show that 4 to 12 grams of xylitol per day are very effective. It’s easy to keep track of your xylitol intake. The "all xylitol" mints and gums contain about one gram of xylitol in each piece. You could begin with as little as one piece four times a day for a total of four grams. It is not necessary to use more than 15 grams per day as higher intakes yield diminishing dental benefits.

How Often? - If used only occasionally or even as often as once a day, xylitol may NOT be effective, regardless of the amount. Use xylitol at least three, and preferably 5 times every day.

Timing - Use immediately after eating and clearing the mouth by swishing water, if possible. Between meals, replace ordinary chewing gum, breath mints, or breath spray with comparable xylitol products.

Q6. Can Xylitol reduce Plaque Growth?
A. Recent studies at the Dental Schools of Michigan and Indiana Universities have tested the effect of xylitol/sorbitol blends in chewing gum and mints on plaque. They showed a significant decrease in plaque accumulation.

Q7. How Xylitol affects Salivary Flow?
A. The sweetness and pleasant cooling effect of xylitol-sweetened products (such as mints and chewing gum) create an increase in salivary flow. Saliva helps with cleaning and protecting teeth from decay.

Q8. How safe is Xylitol?
A. In 1986, the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) was commissioned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to review all relevant data concerning xylitol and other polyols. The FASEB report's scientific conclusions indicate that the use of xylitol in humans is safe. The report also affirms xylitol's acceptability as an approved food additive for use in foods for special dietary uses.

In 1996, the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), a prestigious scientific advisory body to the World Health Organization and the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, confirmed that adverse findings in animal studies conducted in the 1970s are "not relevant to the toxicological evaluation of these substances (e.g., xylitol) in humans." JECFA has allocated an Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) of "not specified" for xylitol. ADI, expressed in terms of body weight, is the amount of a food additive that can be taken daily in the diet over a lifetime without risk. An ADI of "not specified" is the safest category in which JECFA can place a food additive. The Scientific Committee for Food of the European Union (EU) also determined xylitol "acceptable" for dietary uses.

Q9: What does glycemic mean?
A: The speed at which a food is able to increase a person's blood glucose levels is called the glycemic response. See Glycemic Index below.

Q10: Are the gums & mints artificially flavored?
A: On the Gums, the cinnamon, spearmint & the peppermint are naturally flavored. But the fresh fruit & strawberry are artificially flavored. On the Mints, the lemmon & the peppermint are naturally flavored. But the Raspberry is artificially flavored.

Q11: I was wondering why and how arsenic, nickel, lead and heavy metals show up in the Xylitol Analysis USP24/FCCIV?
A: These natural elements are found in all plants, vegetables, and fruits (they are part of the molecular structure). When found in high concentrations, then there is a possibility of man-made contamination, or improper processing. The levels stated in the analysis, reflects the purity of the processing (this is good!).

Q12: I have lots of allergies to wheat, gluten corn, soy, etc., but I am not allergic to Xylitol that comes 100% from Birch Trees. Can you tell me if your brand "Emerald Forest" Xylitol is derived 100% from Birch Trees?
A: Xylitol is a base molecule. The allergens people are usually allergic to are found in the corn kernel, not the cob. Through the extraction process, the xylitol is completely removed from all the corn protein anyways, so this shouldn't be an issue. Also, if your customer is currently purchasing from a distributor located in the USA, they have a 99% chance they are already using corn cob derived xylitol.

Q13: Is Xylitol safe for my pets?
A: While xylitol has many health benefits for humans, xylitol is dangerous for your household pets. Xylitol can act as a blood sugar stabilizer in humans. In animals, it actually causes a quick and severe drop in blood sugar levels. This can cause your animals to go into a state of depression, vomiting, loss of coordination, and seizures. In large quantities, xylitol can even result in death.

The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center advises pet owners avoid offering their animals food meant for human consumption, and to be especially diligent in keeping candy, gum or other foods containing xylitol out of the reach of pets. Signs your pet may have ingested xylitol may appear as early as 30 minutes after ingestion. As with any potentially toxic substance, should accidental exposures occur, it is important to contact your local veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center for immediate assistance.

Here is a list of other common household items which are potentially dangerous for your pets.

Alcoholic Beverages, Avocado, Chocolate, Coffee, Fatty Foods, Macadamia Nuts, Moldy or spoiled foods, Onions, Raisins and grapes, Salt, Yeast Dough, Ibuprofen, vitamins, diet pills, and other medications.

Common household plants (Lilies, Rhubarb, mushrooms, oleander, rhododendron)
Antifreeze, Household cleaners

While accidents do happen, taking the proper precautions can make you and your pets safer. We want you to be healthier through using xylitol and other health products, but don’t forget to prevent accidents from happening.

In dogs, however, xylitol causes a massive rapid and dose-dependent release of insulin from pancreatic beta-cells. Following insulin release, clinically significant hypoglycemia followed by signs of vomiting, weakness, ataxia, mental depression, hypokalemia, hypoglycemic seizures, and coma can develop. Clinical signs associated with xylitol ingestion can develop within 30 minutes of ingestion, and can last for more than 12 hours, even with aggressive treatment. Additionally, there have been several anecdotal reports of acute hepatic failure after ingestion of xylitol.

Symptoms can begin in as little as 30 minutes and last hours. It is recommended that pets that experience symptoms be taken to a veterinarian or local emergency clinic for evaluation. Treatment may include hospitalization and intravenous fluids with dextrose supplementation. Some pets can remain symptomatic and may maintain a low blood sugar for several hours.

Sugarless candies can be toxic to pets. Candies containing xylitol have been recognized by the National Animal Poison Control Center to be a risk to pets. This information was first published in July 2004. This compound can cause liver damage and death in dogs susceptible to
being poisoned with xylitol. If your dog ingests sugarless candy it would be best to contact the NAPCC (1-888-426-4435). It is possible your vet will not be familiar with this source of poisoning as this information is fairly new and candies have not usually been associated
with poisonings in dogs if they did not contain chocolate as the major ingredient.

Dunayer EK. Hypoglycemia following canine ingestion of xylitol-containing gum. Veterinary and Human Toxicology 46(2):87-88, 2004. (erratum appears in Vet Human Toxicology 4(3):137, 2004)

Q14: What the difference between Corn Cob Xylitol versus Birch Tree Xylitol and Why do some people want to scare you from buying Xylitol manufactured from corn cob?
A: We have noticed an increase in the number of phone calls from our customers, asking about the difference between birch tree and corn cob Xylitol. Their concerns have come from some negative advertising directed at Xylitol manufactured outside the USA.

Most companies selling Xylitol products are just as concerned about protecting the environment and providing a quality product as you are. There is no justification in cutting down a tree when the exact same product can be harvested from corn cob (renewable resource) at one third the cost (non-GMO and pesticide free). There is no difference in taste, health benefits or quality, only price.

Traditionally, Xylitol was extracted from the birch tree. But due to the impact on the environment and the high cost of production, most manufactures, including the only company in the United States making Xylitol, started importing D-Xylose (base product for making Xylitol) from China.

There is no problem in doing this. In fact, it benefits the company and the consumer. The only problem comes from forgetting to inform your distributors of the switch. Companies who are buying their Xylitol from a U.S.A. manufacturers are either not aware that their Xylitol comes from corn cob, or choose to ignore the facts, and continue to charge the higher prices, using false claims and fear to get your business. Please don’t let a few unscrupulous companies distract you from the truth, which is presented by the majority of Xylitol companies represented in the U.S.A. Whether you buy your Xylitol from Emerald Forest or one of our competitors, we all take pride in offering quality Xylitol products, and good service.

“Knowledge is an antidote to fear”
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

Q15: How does Xylitol react when subjected to direct heat. Example: When sugar is sprinkled onto a pan and heated, it will eventually turn to liquid. Will Xylitol do the same?
A: Xylitol will do the same type of thing, but it takes a much higher temperature than sugar. Typically, xylitol will turn into a liquid at 93 to 96 degrees celcius. However, it will not carmelize.

Q16: What is the difference between food grade & pharmaceutical grade?
A: The difference between food grade xylitol and pharmaceutical grade, is the number of times that the xylitol has gone thru the extraction process. When xylitol is certified "pharmaceutical", that means that the xylitol is free of all other alkaloids except the xylan. And there can be some variation it taste, but the biggest reason for using a pharmaceutical grade is due to the chance of food allergies from food grade. An example would be if someone is allergic to corn, then the remaining alkaloids from the corn cob could effect this allergy.

Q17: Is there any beverages with xylitol that are for sale anywhere, I drink diet right now and it has splenda which I really don't want to continue to drink.
A: As far as we know there is not a beverage that is sweetened with xylitol. The problem with sweetening a drink with xylitol is that the amount of xylitol necessary to sweeten the drink would give a person diarrhea.

Q17: Danger of Aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal, Splenda, Sweet N Low)
A: The Bitter Truth About NutraSweet (Aspartame) and Sucralose (Splenda ™)
"Aspartame (NutraSweet) appears to cause slow, silent damage in those unfortunate enough to not have immediate reactions and a reason to avoid it. It may take one year, five years, 10 years, or 40 years, but it seems to cause some reversible and some irreversible changes in health over long-term use. "Aspartame has a profound effect on mood and cognition....depressed mood, anxiety, dizziness, panic attacks, nausea, irritability, impairment of memory and concentration."
Ralph Walton, M.D.

The testing of sucralose reveals that it can cause up to 40 percent shrinkage of the thymus: a gland that is the very foundation of our immune system. Sucralose also causes swelling of the liver and kidneys, and CALCIFICATION of the kidney. Note: if you experience kidney pain, cramping, or an irritated bladder after using sucralose in Splenda, stop use immediately.
Dr. Janet Starr Hull

"I have observed severe intellectual deterioration associated with the use of aspartame products. It was usually manifest as great difficulty in reading and writing, obvious problems with memory and grossly impaired orientation to time, place and person. Many reactions to aspartame were very serious including seizures and death. Other reactions reported included: Headaches/Migraines Dizziness Joint Pain Nausea Numbness Muscle spasms Weight gain Rashes Depression Fatigue Irritability Tachycardia Insomnia Vision Loss Hearing Loss Heart palpitations Breathing difficulties Anxiety attacks Slurred Speech Loss of taste Tinnitus Vertigo Memory loss"
H. J. Roberts, M.D.

To read more information on Danger of these products, please check the links below:
http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/nutraswt.htm
http://www.womentowomen.com/nutritionandweightloss/splenda.asp
http://www.splendaexposed.com/
http://www.sweetpoison.com/
http://www.mercola.com/2000/dec/3/sucralose_testimonials.htm

Q18: Is Emerald Forest Xylitol organic?
A: Our xylitol comes from corn cobs, that were grown pesticide free, and from a
non-GMO source. The farmers having been growing their corn in this manner for
hundreds of years without change. Even though this would be considered organic
farming, the cost of becoming organic certified just for the corn cob, is
prohibitive to the farmer. Therefore we do not call our xyltiol "certified
organic".

Q19: Can Emerald Forest Xylitol be used in candy making (hard candy)?Q19: Can Emerald Forest
A: Emerald Forest Xylitol can not be used to make hard candy, due to its inability to carmalize.

Q20: I made a fudge with xylitol, and it turned out gritty. Cake incing also has gritty texture. How do I prevent this?

A: I don't know the recipe you used for fudge, so I can't help much with that question. However, are you using the recipes in my cookbook for cake icing? If so, I can offer you some suggestions to try. Either buy the powdered xylitol commercially, or finely grind it in a blender or vita-mix machine, and sift it before using it in your recipes. Also, gradually (a couple of tablespoons at a time) beat the powdered xylitol into the butter, making sure that the xylitol is fully incorporated before adding additional amounts of it. If the icing seems too dry while you are making it, add small amounts of the liquid in the recipe (usually milk and/or flavorings) gradually between additions of powdered xylitol in order to keep the consistency correct. I hope these suggestions help.

Karen Edwards, Ph. D in Holistic Nutrition, and is a valued lecturer on the subject "lifestyle changes and healthy methods." Oh, and she also loves to cook. Click here to check her recipe book.