Does regular consumption of xylitol have side effects on the body?

Because it can replace sucrose and play a role in tooth protection, xylitol has been quickly accepted by consumers in the past two years, and once became synonymous with dental health. Major brands of chewing gum have launched xylitol series, and said that it can not only prevent cavities but also repair tooth decay. However, some experts have recently questioned this, xylitol is not as omnipotent and sacred as these businesses recommend, and excessive intake will also affect the body.

How much does xylitol do to protect your teeth? The reporter interviewed Feng Zhaofei, director of the preventive health care department of Tianjin Stomatological Hospital, yesterday. According to experts, at present, consumers do not have a comprehensive understanding of xylitol, and are simply misled by the propaganda of merchants, and there are indeed misunderstandings in xylitol consumption.

Feng Zhaofei doubts that xylitol can restore teeth, and he believes that xylitol cannot do so at present. Xylitol is native to Finland and is a natural plant sweetener extracted from plants such as birch and oak trees. The so-called moth-proof is because xylitol does not produce acidic substances after bacterial metabolism, so it can reduce the production of caries bacteria and tartar.

However, chewing gum contains xylitol, which can only help avoid tooth decay, and people who already have tooth decay cannot play a leading role by eating chewing gum. Secondly, the higher the content of xylitol in chewing gum, the better the anti-caries effect. Director Feng Zhaofei said that when the xylitol content is lower than 50%, the moth-proof effect is proportional to the content, but after reaching 50%, it is different, and the moth-proof effect of 50% and 100% is the same.

Excessive intake can be harmful to the human body, such as causing diarrhea. Generally speaking, this symptom will only occur when you consume about 100 pieces of xylitol chewing gum every day, and it is not a big problem to eat a small amount. Finally, xylitol does not completely replace sugar.

Compared with ordinary granulated sugar, the low calorie content is one of the major advantages of xylitol. Because it is absorbed very slowly after entering the body, and only part of it can be utilized, therefore, each gram of xylitol contains only kilocalories, which is 40% less than other carbohydrates. However, some beverages, pastries, biscuits, ice cream and other foods claim to contain xylitol, which can effectively reduce body fat accumulation and control diabetes complications, such propaganda is unscientific.

Xylitol not only does not play a curative role, once diabetics consume too much, it will also produce ***, resulting in an increase in blood triglycerides, causing coronary atherosclerosis, and may also cause abdominal discomfort, flatulence, bowel sounds, diarrhea, etc.

What exactly is xylitol? Is eating too much harmful to the human body?

Categories: Medical & Health >> Common sense of the human body.

Problem description: Is it true that I have heard others say that xylitol is harmful to the human body?

If not, what are the benefits to the human body?

Analysis: Xylitol has set off a storm in China again. Recently, some experts have said that excessive intake of xylitol can also cause health problems, such as diarrhea, and obesity.

Although the content of xylitol in chewing gum is small and basically does not affect the human body, consumer associations and experts still believe that although there is no danger, domestic production and sales enterprises should also mark their possible adverse reactions on xylitol packaging to warn consumption.

Experts pointed out that in European and American countries, foods that generally contain xylitol will indicate on the label that "excessive intake may cause diarrhea".

Relevant experts remind that there are currently three major misunderstandings in the "consumption" of xylitol: first, "repairable tooth decay". Some manufacturers claim that the xylitol chewing gum they produce can not only prevent tooth decay, but also repair tooth decay.

In this regard, experts say that xylitol has a certain effect on the prevention of tooth decay, but it is impossible to repair tooth decay, at best, people who often eat xylitol are not easy to get tooth decay compared with people who often eat sucrose; Second, the higher the content, the better the anti-caries effect. Experts say that the amount of xylitol in chewing gum does not affect the anti-caries effect; Third, it can completely replace sugar. In fact, xylitol, like glucose and sucrose, is a carbohydrate composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, so diabetics should not eat more xylitol. （

Detrimental. It should not be consumed for a long time.