For this reason, people have turned to natural alternatives such as xylitol.
Xylitol looks and tastes like sugar but has fewer calories and not to increase the blood sugar levels in the blood.
Several studies suggest that it can improve dental health and other important benefits.
This article takes a detailed look xylitol and how it will impact your health.
What is xylitol and how?
Xylitol is a substance that is classified as a sugar alcohol [1] (or polyol).
Sugar alcohols are hybrid molecule as a molecule of sugar and alcohol. Their structure gives them the ability to stimulate the sweet taste receptors in the mouth.
Xylitol is found in small quantities in many fruits [2] and vegetables is considered to be natural. People produce small amounts of by normal metabolism.
It is a common ingredient in sugarless gum, candy, mints, food diabetes and oral care products friendship.
Xylitol has a regular sugar-like sweetness, but contains 40% less calories [3] :
- Table sugar: 4 calories per gram.
- Xylitol: 2.4 calories per gram.
Xylitol looks like this ... basically a white, crystalline powder:
Obviously sweetener Xylitol is refined such that the vitamins, minerals and proteins [4] . In this sense it is "empty" calories.
Xylitol can be processed from trees such as birch [5] , but can also be an industrial process plant fibers called converts carried xylan [6] to xylitol.
Although sugar alcohols are technically carbohydrates, most of them will not increase the level of blood sugar levels and therefore not counted as "net" carbohydrate, making them popular sweeteners carbs low [7] products.
By the way ... Let's not be provided by the sugar alcohol ... that really has nothing to do with alcohol drunk. Sugar alcohols are safe for alcoholics.
Conclusion: Xylitol is found in some plants a known type of sweetener and a sugar alcohol. It looks and tastes like sugar, but has 40% fewer calories.
Xylitol has a very low glycemic index and spike blood sugar or insulin
One of the negative effects of sugar (corn syrup, high fructose) is that they increase blood sugar and insulin levels.
Due to the large amount of fructose, can also lead to insulin resistance and a variety of metabolic problems if more is consumed (more details on this article [8] ).
Well ... xylitol contains zero fructose [9] and has a negligible effect on blood glucose and insulin ( 1 , 2 ).
Therefore, no adverse effect on sugar xylitol is applied.
The glycemic index (a measure of how quickly food raises blood sugar) is only 7 as compared to regular sugar, which a glycemic index of 60 to 70 has ( 3 , 4 ).
You can also use a weight loss [10] -friendly sweetener because it contains 40% less calories than sugar.
For people with diabetes, pre-diabetes, obesity and other metabolic disorders, xylitol is an excellent alternative to sugar.
Although this has not yet been studied in humans, studies in rats have shown [11] that xylitol can improve the symptoms of diabetes, reduce belly fat and gain weight on a diet of mast to prevent ( 5 , 6 , 7 ).
Conclusion: Unlike sugar, Xylitol has a negligible effect on blood sugar and insulin levels. Studies in rats show impressive benefits for metabolic health.
Xylitol takes bad bacteria in the mouth and has important benefits for dental health
Many dentists recommend the use of xylitol chewing gum sweet ... for good reason.
This is because many studies show that xylitol has strong benefits for dental health and prevention of dental caries ( 8 ).
One of the main risk factors for tooth decay is a type of oral bacterium called Streptococcus mutans [12] . These bacteria are responsible for the disk in the first place.
Although some of plaque on the teeth is normal when it comes from the hand of the immune system starts attacking the bacteria in it. This can lead to inflammation of the gums and gingivitis [13] .
Well ... these oral bacteria feed on the food of glucose, but can not use xylitol. Xylitol sugar substitute reducing fuel for harmful bacteria present ( 9 ).
But the effects of xylitol there ... but the bad bacteria can not use xylitol for fuel, nor eat.
If bacteria with xylitol, which are not capable of absorbing glucose, substantially filled their type of energy production is "loaded" and eventually die.
In other words, if you chew gum with xylitol (or use it as a sweetener), blocked sugar metabolism in bacteria and they literally starving to death (starvation 10 ).
In one study, the use of xylitol chewing gum sweetened reduced levels of bad bacteria of 27-75%, whereas (bacteria had no effect on 11 ).
Xylitol also has other dental services ( 12 )
- Increases calcium absorption in the digestive system, which is good for your teeth and can also protect against osteoporosis ( 13 ).
- Increases the production of saliva. Saliva contains calcium and phosphate, which is absorbed by the teeth and helps to remineralize.
- Reduces the acidity of saliva, which helps driven against acid degradation fight tooth enamel.
Numerous studies [14] show that xylitol or by substitution or addition of sugar on top of the food may cavities and tooth decay by up to 30-85% reduction ( 14 , 15 , 16 ).
Since inflammation is at the root of many chronic diseases, it is logical that the reduction of plaque and gingivitis can provide benefits for the rest of the body also.
Conclusion: Xylitol may cause harmful bacteria to starve in the mouth, which reduces the buildup of plaque and tooth decay. This can help to tooth decay and gum disease anti-inflammatory.
Xylitol reduces ear infections in children and Candida albicans yeast-fighting
Mouth, nose and ears are connected.
For this reason, the bacteria can live in the mouth actually cause ear infections [15] , a common problem in children.
It appears that some of these bacteria, xylitol, in the same way that the bacteria, the plaque (cause stripped strip 17 ).
In a study in children with recurrent ear infections, daily use of xylitol-sweetened chewing gum reduced the infection rate of 40% ( 18 ).
Xylitol also helps fight yeast Candida albicans [16] , which cause their ability to adhere to a surface and infections (reduced 19 ).
Conclusion: Sweet xylitol chewing gum can reduce ear infections in children and fight infections caused by the yeast Candida albicans.
Xylitol has many other potential health benefits
Collagen [17] is the most abundant protein in the body and is found in large quantities in the skin and connective tissue.
Studies in rats show that xylitol can the production of collagen, which helps fight the effects of aging on the skin (increase to 20 , 21 ).
Xylitol may also provide a protective effect against osteoporosis, which increased to bone volume and bone mineral density in the rat ( 22 , 23 ).
Although xylitol to kill "bad" bacteria in the mouth, it can also feed the good bacteria in the gut, which is a good thing (is 24 ).
In this sense, it acts as a soluble fiber [18] .
Conclusion: Xylitol can help to reduce the production of collagen and the risk of osteoporosis. Seems also have prebiotic effect, feed the good bacteria in the gut.
There is a big problem ... Xylitol is very toxic to dogs
Xylitol in humans is absorbed slowly and has no measurable effect on insulin production.
Unfortunately, we can not say the same for dogs.
When dogs eat xylitol, your body mistakenly think that glucose was added and begin to produce large amounts of insulin.
When this happens, the cells start to dogs from the blood take glucose. This can lead to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and be downright lethal ( 25 ).
Xylitol can also have negative effects on the liver function in dogs with high doses cause liver failure ( 26 ).
Note that it is to be affected only about 0.1 g / kg for a dog, so that a 3 kg (7.6 lb) Chihuahua sick from eating just 0.3 grams of xylitol. This is less than the amount contained in a piece of gum.
So if you own a dog, then keep away from xylitol (or house products). If you think your dog has accidentally eaten xylitol, take it to the vet immediately.
Conclusion: Xylitol can be very toxic to dogs, which leads to hypoglycemia and / or liver failure.
Side effects, dosage and Outlets
Xylitol is generally well tolerated, but some people get gastrointestinal side effects if too much is consumed.
Sugar alcohols can draw water into the intestine or fermented by intestinal bacteria.
This can lead to gas, bloating and diarrhea.
However, it seems that the body very well adapt to xylitol.
If consumption increases slowly and give your body time to adjust, then chances are you will have no side effects.
If you are not sure you can tolerate sugar alcohols, then consider staying near the toilet for the first time, if you eat a lot.
That is, the long-term consumption of xylitol does not seem to be totally secure.
In one study, subjects consumed an average of 3.3 pounds (1.5 kg) of xylitol per month with a maximum daily intake of 400 grams, without adverse effects ( 10 ).
If you want to buy xylitol, then there is a huge variety of Amazon [19] with many interesting customer comments.
People use sugar alcohols to sweeten all kinds of things ... coffee [20] , teas and various recipes. It may replace sugar with xylitol in a ratio of 1:1.
If you have irritable bowel syndrome [21] or intolerance FODMAPs [22] , then be very careful with sugar alcohols and look to completely avoid.
Take Home Message
If you want to sweeten something, xylitol is an excellent choice.
While the debate over the most sweeteners is whether they hurt or not, studies show that xylitol has real health benefits.
No peak blood glucose or insulin starves the bacteria in the plaque in your mouth products that feed the beneficial bacteria in the gut.
What to ask a sweetener could you?
Credentials
- ^ sugar alcohol (www.marksdailyapple.com)
- ^ fruits (authoritynutrition.com)
- ^ calories (authoritynutrition.com)
- ^ protein (authoritynutrition.com)
- ^ Birch (en.wikipedia.org)
- ^ xylan (en.wikipedia.org)
- ^ Low-Carb (authoritynutrition.com)
- ^ in this article (authoritynutrition.com)
- ^ fructose (authoritynutrition.com)
- ^ weight loss (authoritynutrition.com)
- ^ showed (chriskresser.com)
- ^ Streptococcus mutans (en.wikipedia.org)
- ^ gingivitis (en.wikipedia.org)
- ^ Numerous studies (www.lef.org)
- ^ ear infections (of www.mayoclinic.org)
- ^ Candida albicans (en.wikipedia.org)
- ^ collagen (en.wikipedia.org)
- ^ fiber (authoritynutrition.com)
- ^ great selection of Amazon (www.amazon.com)
- ^ cafes (authoritynutrition.com)
- ^ Irritable bowel syndrome (of www.mayoclinic.org)
- ^ FODMAPs (chriskresser.com)
No comments:
Post a Comment