However, carbonated drinks are associated with dental erosion due to their acid content, regardless of whether they contain sugar, lower calorie sweeteners or no calorie sweeteners.

Xylitol has 2.4 kilocalories of food energy per gram of xylitol (10 kilojoules per gram) according to U.S. and E.U. food-labeling regulations. [19] [3] The real value can vary, depending on metabolic factors. [20] Primarily, the liver metabolizes absorbed xylitol. The main metabolic route in humans occurs in cytoplasm, via nonspecific NAD-dependent dehydrogenase (polyol dehydrogenase), which transforms xylitol to D-xylulose. Specific xylulokinase phosphorylates it to D-xylulose-5-phosphate. This then goes to pentose phosphate pathway for further processing. [20] Xylitol is a white odourless crystalline powder that has been used as a sweetening agent in food for over 40 years. Lee, Young-Eun; Choi, Youn-Hee; Jeong, Seong-Hwa; Kim, Hee-Sook; Lee, Sung-Hee; Song, Keun-Bae (16 December 2008). "Morphological changes in Streptococcus mutans after chewing gum containing xylitol for twelve months". Current Microbiology. 58 (4): 332–337. doi: 10.1007/s00284-008-9332-4. ISSN 0343-8651. PMID 19085034. S2CID 6520956. However, whilst xylitol is generally considered to be safe for humans (albeit eating a lot of it can have a laxative effect, and there is also a lot of debate over whether such artificial products might be harmful in the long term), it is very toxic to dogs.Most forms of peanut butter are sweetened with sugar, but sugar-free peanut butter products are widely available to buy too, and these are commonly sweetened with xylitol instead. Read more about peanut butter and dogs in this article. Diabetic chocolate and even savoury goods Before opting for foods sweetened with sugar alcohols such as xylitol, diabetics should discuss the usefulness of these polyols with their GP/diabetes specialist as some of these products may contain other ingredients which may not be suitable for a diabetes-based diet Safety

When ingested at high doses, xylitol and other polyols may cause gastrointestinal discomfort, including flatulence, diarrhea, and irritable bowel syndrome (see Metabolism above); some people experience the adverse effects at lower doses. [18] [35] Xylitol has a lower laxation threshold than some sugar alcohols but is more easily tolerated than mannitol and sorbitol. [36] Xylitol is stable enough to be used in baking, [16] but because xylitol and other polyols are more heat-stable, they do not caramelise as sugars do. When used in foods, they lower the freezing point of the mixture. [17] Food risks [ edit ]

Vitamins and supplements

Total Sweet Xylitol makes it easy to cut down on sugar: whether you want to lose weight or cut down on your sugar intake, Total Sweet Xylitol can help. Swapping your sugar for Xylitol lets you enjoy an indulgent cake, sprinkle of sweetness on your cereal, or cup of tea just how you like it with less calories and carbs. a b Schmid, R.D.; Hovda, L.R. (2016). "Acute hepatic failure in a dog after xylitol ingestion". Journal of Medical Toxicology. 12 (2): 201–205. doi: 10.1007/s13181-015-0531-7. PMC 4880608. PMID 26691320. Evidence from short term trials on drinks sweetened with no calorie sweeteners show that when they are consumed instead of sugary drinks, they can support lowering of energy intake and weight gain. There is no evidence sweeteners stimulate appetite in humans.