[crunchymum]

Originally Posted by poleidopy

what is xylitol?

Xylitol is a sugar-free natural sweetener. It is not an artificial sweetener. It is derived from a compound called xylan found in birch and other hardwood trees, berries, almond hulls and corn cobs. Artificial sweeteners (saccharine, aspartame, aculsefame etc are all harmful to health).
• Xylitol not only does not feed candida, it actually has anti candidal effects. So you can now make an anti candidal hot chocolate!

• Xylitol is a polyol, a substitute for sugar that occurs naturally in some fruits and vegetables.

• Xylitol™ looks, tastes and feels just like ordinary sugar with no aftertaste, and can be used just like sugar and in equal quantities in hot and cold drinks, on desserts and cereals, and in home-baking.

• Xylitol™ has a very low Glycaemic Index (GI = 8) so can be used by people on Low-GI Diets.

• Xylitol has the same sweetness as sugar but only 60% of the calories: only 2.4 kcal/g as opposed to 4.0 kcal/g in ordinary sugar.

• Xylitol is suitable for use by Diabetics: Xylitol does not need insulin to be metabolized and does not cause fluctuations in blood-sugar.

• Xylitol Promotes healthy teeth and gums: Unlike sugar, Xylitol is actually good for teeth. It fights plaque by neutralizing plaque acids and stimulates remineralization of tooth enamel. Xylitol specifically inhibits the growth of Streptococcus mutans, the plaque producing bacteria most responsible for causing cavities (dental caries). So Xylitol helps prevent fillings! This is why Xylitol is used extensively in chewing-gum and toothpastes.

• Xylitol also has a prebiotic effect, promoting the growth of friendly bacteria in the digestive tract.

• Xylitol inhibits yeast, therefore it cannot be used to raise yeast in baking.

i remember getting 'dental gum' from the hfs sweetened with xylitol - i think my inlaws brush their teeth with it. some people have a reaction (read: loose stools) if they eat too much. obviously like any sweetener it should be used in moderation... but i like it. the stuff i use is from NOW foods and i have it in our sugar bowl - no one ever notices the difference.

here's an article: http://www.laleva.cc/food/xylitol.html

Originally Posted by ElliesMom

Why can't you do pb on an anti-candida diet?

there's a lot of nuts that have a high mold content, peanuts are one of them - and you're supposed to stay far away from any kind of mold on the anti-candida diet.