Pure Xylitol is a naturally occurring 5-carbon sugar alcohol found in many fruits and vegetables and produced in small amounts by the human body. One of the benefits of Xylitol is the fact that it is both a low-glycaemic sweetener and alkalising to the body, making it an ideal sugar substitute for those on weight-loss diets and for those wanting optimum health. Xylitol is identical in taste and sweetness to normal sugar except for a slight cooling effect on the tongue. And there is also no bitter after-taste as with other sugar substitutes.
For commercial use, it is manufactured from xylan hemicellulose sources such as Birch trees, cane bagasse and corn cobs/stalks. It is the sweetest of the polyols with the same sweetness as sugar (sucrose) but with 40% fewer calories and none of the negative tooth decay!