Xylitol – What Is It? Where Does It Come From? How Did We Find it?
I just read that Americans eat up to ½ cup of sugar per person, per day. Another interesting factoid is that each person eats on the average of 150 pounds of sugar per year. That’s a lot of sugar! Having had severe hypoglycemia as a young adult, I had to learn to do without most sugary treats. I couldn’t stand the taste of any of the artificial sweeteners and was concerned about their health impacts. So I stopped drinking sodas and learned to drink my caffeine black. I learned to discern the sweetness of foods where I could: in the cinnamon, sans sugar, on my cinnamon toast, or the sweetness in the berries gleaned – the wild cherries, mulberries, blackberries, or the spices in curry.
I wasn’t as nutritionally aware of all of the alternatives in those days, despite having a bachelors’ degree in nutrition with a rebel attitude toward the wonders of soft white “Wonder Bread”. There was no internet to surf on to learn the latest, cutting edge research and information. Unless you lived in a big city with a good library and knowledgeable research librarian, or working in that field, you were unlikely to know the “latest.” Boy do I love the convenience of technology (once I learn how to use it.)
I had been growing and using Stevia for a while, but the leaf and the commercial forms available ten years ago were bitter-sweet and altered the taste of the food. Not good enough even though Stevia is good for us. [More on this in another blog. There is newer products and techniques.]
Xylitol has no known toxicity to humans…
Xylitol is not safe for dogs and may not be safe for other small animals.
Enter xylitol. When my friend Julie, who gave me my first bag of xylitol to create a sugar-free, diabetic friendly truffle, I was intrigued. What is xylitol, I wondered? My husband who manages to keep up with many of the cutting edge nutritional research, had purchased some XlearTM nasal spray with xylitol because it was supposed to inhibit the attachment of infection-causing bacteria and help wash away bacteria, pollens, dander, molds, allergens and other irritants that cause nasal congestion.
So I investigated xylitol on-line and found some pleasantly surprising research that made me double my efforts to create a sugar-free truffle that rivaled the taste and texture of normal regular truffles.
So, what is xylitol, where does it come from and how did we find it?
Xylitol is a naturally occurring sweetener found in and extracted from the fibers of many fruits and vegetables, including various berries, corn husks, birch trees, oats, and mushrooms. It is a natural, intermediate product of glucose metabolism in man, some animals, several plants and micro-organisms. Our bodies can extract and use up to 15 grams of xylitol per day from the foods we eat and our normal carbohydrate metabolism. Of course, the amount depends on the foods we eat.
Xylitol is considered a sugar alcohol or polyol. It is slowly absorbed into the blood stream. It is not digested and processed in the body as a carbohydrate, and so doesn’t directly impact blood sugar. It has a low glycemic index of 7, compared to sucrose also know as white sugar or table sugar, which has a glycemic index ranging from 60 – 80. This means it doesn’t cause a sugar high and subsequent energy slump.
Xylitol metabolism doesn’t require insulin. This may be an advantage for the increasing number of people with diabetes. Xylitol doesn’t contribute to high blood sugar levels or the resulting hyperglycemia caused by an insufficient insulin response.
The downside of xylitol is that it can have a mild laxative effect. Tolerances (i.e. how much xylitol which can be eaten before experiencing the laxative effect) vary, ranging from as low as 3 grams to as high as 60 grams per day.
Xylitol has 40% less calories, only 2.4 calories per gram as compared to 4 calories per gram for other sugars such as cane sugar or honey.
The truffle recipes containing xylitol in The Splendid Indulgence of Chocolate Truffles have approximately 3 – 5 grams of xylitol per ½ ounce truffle, weighed prior to finishing.
Emil Fischer, a German chemist discovered xylitol could be made from wood sugars in 1891. During the 1930’s organic chemists worked out the process for extracting the Xylitol from the birch sugar concentrated in xylan-rich fibers of birch branches.
The Finns rediscovered xylitol during World War II. Finland had no domestic source of table sugar, and because of the war, they were unable to import any. Finland was searching for an alternative source of sugar. Birch trees are indigenous to Finland and so they began to make and use xylitol instead of sugar to sweeten their foods.
In 1963, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved xylitol use as a “special dietary and nutritional additive.”
Finnish scientists conducted studies to determine the effects of xylitol, sucrose and fructose (a fruit sugar commonly found in corn and other fruits) on dental caries. They also researched the physiology of xylitol in the body and discovered that xylitol did not require insulin for independent nature was also
A Finnish company began putting xylitol in their gum in 1975. It took another 15 years for the Americans to add small amounts of Xylitol to our gums. [Please note that the most popular brands of gum that contain xylitol, also contain sorbitol and manitol, other sugar alcohols which have almost no dental benefits. ALL contain aspartame on their ingredient list! I was shocked to discover this while reading the ingredient lists on the various xylitol gums while waiting my turn to check out at the store.
Buyer beware! If you don’t choose to have aspartame in your gum, buy The Splendid Indulgence of Chocolate Truffles and get your healthy xylitol in healthy chocolate!
Dentistry became interested in xylitol in the 1970s when those studies showed a drastic reduction in dental caries (cavities) when xylitol was used instead of sucrose. Fructose also reduced caries but not as substantially. Additional Research on Xylitol shows dramatic reductions in new tooth decay and plaque formation:
Oral bacteria, including the cavity-promoting streptococci mutans and lactobacilli can’t digest or use xylitol as a food source. That doesn’t stop the bacteria from eating it – and so it starves them. Xylitol does not effectively ferment. The bacteria can’t convert the xylitol into acid or plaque. This helps the pH level in the mouth remain neutral – a friendlier environment for healthy teeth. Xylitol can also have the added benefit of reversing the unsafe fall of pH levels in the mouth. When a person chews xylitol-sweetened gum, for instance, the oral pH is raised to a safer level and saliva flow is stimulated, helping to neutralize any acids that may have formed.
Another tremendous benefit is that saliva contains the minerals calcium and phosphate which aid the re-mineralization of early cavities in the neutral pH environment. Xylitol dramatically helps reduce tooth decay, helps inhibit plaque buildup, and helps retard loss of tooth enamel. Xylitol can also used to reduce infections in the nose and throat.
Marilynn Rothen, RDH, BS, of the University of Washington has a wonderfully informative series of articles on the history and dental benefits of xylitol on Dimensions of Dental Hygiene’s On-line Journal at http://www.dimensionsofdentalhygiene.com/ddhright.aspx?id=765, if you would like more detailed information than I have shared here.
Where to get Xylitol
Your local health food store is sure to have it, or to have it delivered to you door,
http://www.xlear.com/xylosweet/articles/sweetener.aspx
http://www.EmeraldForestXylitol.com
Coming Soon to this Website!
The Splendid Indulgence of Chocolate Truffles
Decadent Truffles You Can Make at Home
Using Low Glycemic Natural Sweeteners or Sugar
Melting Chocolate in the Microwave
Melting Chocolate in the Microwave
My first piece of advice would be, Don’t! It is very easy to Burn or over heat the chocolate whether dark, milk, semi-sweet, or white. Be very careful and attentive if you are melting chocolate in the microwave. If using chocolate chips, the chips retain their shape, even though soft and adequately melted. You can’t necessarily tell when they are melted, just by looking at them.
First chop the chocolate into fine bits.
With Butter:
If using melted butter or a liquid with the chocolate, then use the butter or liquid to help melt the chocolate. Avoid putting the chocolate in the microwave if you can.
If melting butter, place the butter in a glass bowl. (butter melts plastic and creates toxic by-products.) Cover with a plate, as butter can explosively splash when it is heated too much. Melt butter by heating for short periods of approximately 1 minute, then 30 seconds then 20 seconds. When melted Add chocolate and stir, until chocolate is just melted. If chocolate doesn’t melt completely, return to microwave for 10 – 15 seconds at a time until melted. It is important to check to see if the chocolate is adequately melted each time, so that the chocolate isn’t “cooked”.
With cream or other liquids:
Chop the chocolate and put in a glass (fats in the food melt plastic and creates toxic by-products.) or microwave safe container. Heat the liquid until no more than 115° F (46° C). Pour the liquid over the chopped chocolate and stir until melted. If chocolate doesn’t melt completely, return to microwave for 10 – 15 seconds at a time until melted. It is important to check to see if the chocolate is adequately melted each time, so that the chocolate isn’t “cooked.”
The temperature is important. We want to retain as much of the healthful components of chocolate, so we don’t want to over heat it. Also, we really still don’t know if any or what subtle changes may occur from microwaving our food. The jury is still out on that.
Coconut Chocolate Bliss Cream – A Cool Summer Treat
Congratulations to all of you who are graduating. You made it through! Today is the first day of the rest of your life!
I am so lucky to have my son visiting me for a few weeks. He is an amazing cook with the ability to blend flavors in his mind and imagine what they’ll taste like. We bought some ingredients and he whipped up the best “iced cream” I have ever tasted. Totally dairy-free, gluten free, egg-free, low glycemic raw if you have access to the Thai coconuts, the white ones, not the coconuts in the standard brown shell.
The healthiest “iced cream” I’ve ever eaten. It is so good; I had to share the recipe with you. No – It’s not truffles, but it is rich healthy chocolate. Cool, complex, and not too sweet. Just in time for relief for the summer heat.
Father’s Day is in two weeks is just two weeks from now. You might want to get the ingredients and whip up a batch in his honor. It’s a treat that will bring a smile to everyone’s face.
Coconut Bliss Cream
This tastes amazing! The complexity of flavors dancing on the taste buds delights the senses.
20 fluid ounces natural coconut cream (for raw foods, use fresh Thai coconut cream)
2 tablespoons virgin coconut oil
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons raw cacao powder
6 tablespoons SunFire Chocolate BlissTM*
1 cup of blue agave nectar (If using SunFire Vanilla Agave*, omit the vanilla extract and paste.)
real vanilla extract
½ teaspoon of Trader Joe’s vanilla paste
¼ teaspoon Celtic sea salt or SunFire Himalayan Salt*
¾ walnuts, medium chop
Mix all the ingredients except the chopped walnuts up in a blender. Pour the mixture into an ice cream freezer canister and add the nuts on both sides of the mixing paddle. Freeze in the ice cream maker, following manufacturer’s directions. The one I have took about an hour to freeze. The Bliss Cream will be a soft consistency.
Try it and let me know what you think.
* For product information: http://www.rawfooddiet-holistichealth.com
Chocolate Fondue: Sweetened Traditionally, Sugarfree or with Blue Agave Nectar
Chocolate is one of the world’s most widespread passions. The typical Swiss eats more than 21 pounds of this candy each year. Even the average Belgian or Brit downs some 16 pounds annually, and here in the United States, consumption weighs in at roughly 11.5 pounds per year.”
Food for thought, Science News Online
OK, as you can see by the statistics above, one thing the Swiss are not neutral on is Chocolate! Since apparently, some of us haven’t been doing our share, I thought I’d provide a recipe for you that will provide a simple dazzling nutritious dessert year round, a spectacular pot luck dessert or a great topping for ice cream.
The Swiss invented the delectable tradition of fondue. Dunking bread and crudités into cheeses melted until creamy, spiked with wine and a splash of liqueur. And since they placed first in their dedication to chocolate – A chocolate fondue is only appropriate.
There are three versions of the recipe: One is the traditional easy version with whatever sugar is already added to the chocolate by the manufacturer. The other two recipes use unsweetened chocolate and then add a natural low glycemic sweetener - xylitol for a sugar-free fondue, and blue agave nectar for a low glycemic fondue.
Served with fresh fruit, such as berries, nectarines, fresh pineapple, banana, tangerine, orange segments, pears, fresh coconut, even dried fruit or other nuts, if eaten in moderation, makes a healthy dessert that also happens to be gluten-free if you stick with the fruit and nuts.
While serving in a fondue pot isn’t mandatory, it adds elegance and using a fondue pot, with a little flame underneath it serves to keep the chocolate in a fluid state for dipping. If you don’t have a fondue pot, heat the cream and chocolate in a double boiler or a bowl that fits tightly over a saucepan with approximately an inch of simmering water. Another option, handy for pot lucks is a small crock pot. I’ve got one called the Rival “Little Dipper.” You have to set it on low and watch the temperatures, because crock pots weren’t really designed for the extra low temps required for chocolate.
This recipe is flexible enough for children or adults, depending on the liquid added.
Easy Chocolate Fondue
1½ cups heavy cream
¼ cup cherry wine or brandy (You can replace with cream for a children appropriate fondue or increase the amount of wine by ½ cup and reduce the cream by ½ cup for an “over 21″, low fat fondue. The alcohol will eventually evaporate. )
12 ounces your favorite dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
½ teaspoon real vanilla extract (optional)
Put about an inch of water in the bottom of a double boiler and bring to a simmer. Set the top pan over the simmering water. The bottom of the top pan should not touch the water. Do not cover.
Place the cream in the top section of the double boiler until warmed, 115°- 120° F (46° – 49° C). Turn off the heat. Remove the top of the double boiler to the counter and add the chopped chocolate and the vanilla extract to the cream and whisk until smooth and fully incorporated. Stir in the wine or brandy.
Immediately transfer mixture to a fondue pot heated at low or with a low flame, Crockpot heated to low, or serve straight from the top of the double boiler, after returning the top pan over the water to keep it warm, i.e. less than 115° F (46° C).
Arrange the fruit and other dipping tidbits on a platter or plates around the chocolate pot. Use fondue forks, bamboo skewers, seafood forks, or toothpicks or fingers to dip the fruit or other dippers into the hot melted chocolate fondue. Serve immediately.
If the fondue begins to feel a little stiff, add a tablespoon of heavy cream, allow to heat and stir. This will help it be used to the last drop. Try not to over cook the fondue if serving over a long period. Don’t expect to have a lot of it left.
Healthy Dippers:
Fresh fruits, Dried fruits – Apricots are particularly delicious,Candied Ginger Slices
Slices of fresh coconut,Fresh Shelled Nuts
For the sugar-free chocolate fondue and the blue agave nectar fondue recipes, see below:
Sugar-Free Chocolate Fondue (Gluten-Free)
1 ½ cups heavy cream
¾ cup xylitol
2 teaspoons vegetable glycerin
¼ cup cherry wine or brandy (You can replace with cream for a children appropriate fondue or increase the amount of wine by ½ cup and reduce the cream by ½ cup for an “over 21″, low fat fondue. The alcohol will eventually evaporate. )
12 ounces unsweetened dark chocolate, coarsely chopped, such as Sharffen Berger 99% or Ghirardelli’s 100% cacao (I mix half of each)
½ teaspoon real vanilla extract (optional)
Put about an inch of water in the bottom of a double boiler and bring to a simmer. Set the top pan over the simmering water. The bottom of the top pan should not touch the water. Do not cover.
Place the cream, xylitol and vegetable glycerin in the top section of the double boiler and heat, stirring occasionally until xylitol is fully dissolved and the cream is warmed, 115°- 120° F (46° – 49° C). Turn off the heat. Remove the top of the double boiler to the counter and add the chopped chocolate and the vanilla extract to the cream and whisk until smooth and fully incorporated. Stir in the wine or brandy.
Immediately transfer mixture to a fondue pot heated at low or with a low flame, Crockpot heated to low, or serve straight from the top of the double boiler, after returning the top pan over the water to keep it warm, i.e. less than 115° F (46° C).
Arrange the fruit and other dipping tidbits on a platter or plates around the chocolate pot. Use fondue forks, bamboo skewers, seafood forks, or toothpicks or fingers to dip the fruit or other dippers into the hot melted chocolate fondue. Serve immediately.
If the fondue begins to feel a little stiff, add a tablespoon of cream , allow to heat and stir. This will help it be used to the last drop. Try not to over cook the fondue if serving over a long period. Don’t expect to have a lot of it left.
Healthy Dippers:
Fresh fruits, Dried fruits – Apricots are particularly delicious, Candied Ginger Slices, Slices of fresh coconut, Fresh Shelled Nuts
Xylitol sources:
Your local health food store, or
http://www.xlear.com/xylosweet/articles/sweetener.aspx
Blue Agave Nectar Chocolate Fondue (Gluten-Free)
1 ¼ cups heavy cream
¾ cup blue agave nectar
¼ cup cherry wine or brandy (You can replace with cream for a children appropriate fondue or increase the amount of wine by ½ cup and reduce the cream by ½ cup for an “over 21″, low fat fondue. The alcohol will eventually evaporate. )
12 ounces unsweetened dark chocolate, coarsely chopped, such as Sharffen Berger 99% or Ghirardelli’s 100% cacao (I mix half of each)
½ teaspoon real vanilla extract (optional)
Put about an inch of water in the bottom of a double boiler and bring to a simmer. Set the top pan over the simmering water. The bottom of the top pan should not touch the water. Do not cover.
Place the cream and blue agave nectar in the top section of the double boiler and heat, stirring occasionally until mixture is warmed, 115°- 120° F (46° – 49° C). Turn off the heat. Remove the top of the double boiler to the counter and add the chopped chocolate and the vanilla extract to the cream and agave and whisk until smooth and fully incorporated. Stir in the wine or brandy.
Immediately transfer mixture to a fondue pot heated at low or with a low flame, Crockpot heated to low, or serve straight from the top of the double boiler, after returning the top pan over the water to keep it warm, i.e. less than 115° F (46° C).
Arrange the fruit and other dipping tidbits on a platter or plates around the chocolate pot. Use fondue forks, bamboo skewers, seafood forks, or toothpicks or fingers to dip the fruit or other dippers into the hot melted chocolate fondue. Serve immediately.
If the fondue begins to feel a little stiff, add a tablespoon of cream , allow to heat and stir. This will help it be used to the last drop. Try not to over cook the fondue if serving over a long period. Don’t expect to have a lot of it left.
Dippers:
Fresh fruits, Dried fruits – Apricots are particularly delicious, Candied Ginger Slices,Slices of fresh coconut, Fresh Shelled Nuts
Sources of Blue Agave Nectar
Your local health food store
http://oilgold.younglivingworld.com Product Catalog, Product Search: type in blue agave nectar
Chocolate Bliss Truffles
My son recently introduced me to a sensational product I just have to share with you. What a name and what a delicious nutritious food. It is raw – but don’t let that stop you from trying it. This super tasting drink is just that super food. In a base of richly flavored raw cacao powder are some of the highest antioxidant, phyto-nutrient, vitamin and mineral rich foods. Who’d ever guess something this scrumptious is so awesome for your body.
It’s called Chocolate Bliss. Simple and quick to make for a fast breakfast drink, but it has good staying power.
Of course I had to try and make truffles with the mix. They are simple to make and can replace a drink for an equally portable breakfast or pick-me-up snack.
You can double, triple, etc. the recipe:
½ cup Sunfire Super Foods Chocolate BlissTM
¼ cup + 1 scant tablespoon Vanilla AgaveTM
Yes, that’s all. Two ingredients. More like seeing a universe in a grain of sand. (Apologies to William Blake.)
Whirl Chocolate Bliss powder in processor to make into a uniform powder and break open the whole seeds. Don’t process more than 90 seconds at a time and allow the powder to cool between processing to maintain nutritional integrity of the Bliss.
Add Vanilla Agave and process until agave is incorporated into Bliss powder and forms a ball. Place “dough” in bowl and allow it to sit and absorb the agave. Portion out 2 – 3 teaspoon portions. Dip in finely ground raw cacao powder and roll into balls. Roll again in additional raw cacao powder. They are ready to eat. These will be highly perishable (if they last that long) so cover to keep the air out and refrigerate.
The Divine Nutrition website has some great information on these and additional super foods that can energize your life. http://www.rawfooddiet-holistichealth.com/
Anine
P.S I just ordered 5 pounds of the mix and some of their other products. I don’t sell their products – just had to share this great find with you.
