As you read this short aricle you may be encouraged to restock your 'sugar' supply.... check out the Australian Xylitol Website linked below.
WHAT IS XYLITOL?
Xylitol is a sweet, crystalline carbohydrate discovered in the late 1800's by German and Finnish chemists. It occurs in wood, woody plants and in virtually all fruit products. Xylitol is also produced in the human body as a normal metabolic intermediary.
By the 1960's Xylitol was being used in Germany, Switzerland, the Soviet Union and Japan as a preferred sweetener in diabetic’s diets and as an energy source for infusion therapy in patients with impaired glucose tolerance and insulin resistance. Since then, many other countries have been producing xylitol for uses in their domestic markets - and with remarkable health benefits. It has been relatively unknown in USA and Australia until recently, primarily because cheaper supplies if cane sugar made the more expensive xylitol less economically viable.
Although xylitol looks and tastes exactly like sugar that is where the similarity ends. Xylitol is really sugar's mirror image. While sugar wreaks havoc on the body, xylitol heals and repairs. It has also been shown to build immunity, protect against chronic degenerative diseases and exhibits anti-aging benefits.
Xylitol is considered a five carbon sugar, which means it is an antimicrobial, preventing the growth of bacteria. This unique structure appears to be unfavorable in the metabolism of several pathogenic bacteria, weakening their ability to proliferate and adhere, resulting in reduced acid fermentation.
While sugar is acid-forming, xylitol is alkaline enhancing. All other forms of sugar, including sorbitol, another popular alternative sweetener, are six carbon sugars, which feed dangerous bacteria and fungi.
Xylitol is completely natural and absolutely safe for human consumption. In fact the average person consumes 2 to 4 grams of xylitol a day in fruits and vegetables. The World Health Organization has given xylitol their highest rating for a food additive, deemed safe for all individuals from infancy to old age. It is currently approved by government bodies in over 50 countries worldwide.
Xylitol is as sweet as table sugar, yet its initial utilization on the human body requires virtually no insulin. Its glycemic index is 7% that of common table sugar (glycemic index: xylitol = 7, glucose - 100). Compared with sugar, xylitol causes a much smaller increase in serum insulin and blood glucose levels with no hypoglycemic "rebound". This is why it is suitable for use by diabetics.
Xylitol also has 40% fewer calories and 75% fewer carbohydrates than sugar and is slowly absorbed and metabolized, resulting in very negligible changes in insulin. About one third of xylitol that is consumed is absorbed by the liver. The other two-thirds travel to the intestinal tract, where it is broken down by the gut bacteria in to short-chain fatty acids. As xylitol is utilized slowly and incompletely in the human body, this also accounts for its reduced caloric value. (2.3kcal/g: FDA value).
The reduced calorie and antibacterial qualities of xylitol make it suitable for several applications in diet, medicine and dentistry. All such uses are easily administered, completely natural and present only minimal negative side effects when overindulged (laxative effects).
Xylitol looks, feels and tastes like sugar and unlike other natural sweetener alternatives, leaves no unpleasant aftertaste. It is available in many forms. In its crystalline form, it can replace sugar in cooking, baking or as a sweetener for beverages. It is also used in gums and mints. .
XYLITOL AND HEALTH
Xylitol is proven to have both superior nutritional benefits, as well as several anti-bacterial properties. These qualities offer exceptional health benefits for diabetics, children with chronic ear infections, sinusitis patients, and even individuals suffering from asthma and allergies. .
Studies show that when administered to children in chewing gum or syrup, xylitol produces a reduced rate of otitis media (middle ear infection) and a lower nasopharyngeal carriage rate and pneumococci. When administered as a nasal lavage, xylitol has been shown to interfere with the capability of bacteria to adhere to tissues of the middle ear, throat and sinuses.
THE SAFER SWEETENER
Increased sugar consumption has bedeviled Western cultures with more and more health problems, many of which are putting enormous strain on health care systems. Finally, there is an answer to our collective prayers for something truly healthy that can satisfy our sweet tooth. Over 1,500 scientific studies have found that the more you use xylitol, the more you can eliminate sugar cravings, reduce insulin levels and alkalize your body. It is a great aid on the way to good health and long life.
0 comments:
Post a Comment