How does xylitol differ from other sweeteners?
Strictly speaking, xylitol is not actually a sugar, but a sugar alcohol. It differs from other sweeteners such as sorbitol, fructose and glucose because the xylitol molecule has five, instead of six, carbon atoms. Most bacterias are unable to make use of such sugars. This is one reason why xylitol is so effective in preventing caries.
Chemically speaking, xylitol is not actually a sugar, but a sugar alcohol. It differs from other sweeteners such as sorbitol, fructose and glucose because its molecule has five, instead of six, carbon atoms. Most bacteria and yeast in the mouth are unable to make use of xylitol. It is much sweeter than sorbitol, for instance. Assessed in terms of calories, xylitol’s sweetening power is the same as that of sucrose (table sugar). Xylitol is an important supplement in helping to reduce the risk of tooth decay, and everyone interested in healthy teeth should be familiar with its properties and effects.
Xylitol is the only natural sugar substitute that has the same sweetening power and delicious taste of sucrose. It differs from other natural sweeteners such as sorbitol, fructose and glucose because the xylitol molecule has five, instead of six, carbon atoms. This means that it cannot be fermented by harmful mouth bacteria that cause tooth decay (1). Xylitol differs from intense artificial sweeteners including aspartame, acesulfame-K and sucralose in that it has no adverse effects or bitter aftertaste.
A. Chemically speaking, xylitol is not actually a sugar, but a sugar alcohol. It differs from other sweeteners such as sorbitol, fructose and glucose because the xylitol molecule has five, instead of six, carbon atoms. Most bacteria are unable to make use of such sugars. This is one reason why xylitol is so effective in preventing cavities.
