Birch sugar, also called xylitol, is probably the healthiest alternative to white sugar. Acquired in a completely natural way from a birch bark, it has a lot of benefits and health properties. I started changing by eating habits by completely eliminating white sugar from my menu. It also included colourful fizzy drinks, sweetening the coffee and eating candy. Of course, next step would be balancing the diet, removing gluten, introducing appropriate vitamins and supplements.
Personally I prefer stevia as a white sugar alternative, as it’s much sweeter than sugar but it doesn’t have any calories and it’s very economic. This doesn’t mean that everyone is okay with that bitter aftertaste – for those people the best choice would be sugar made from birch bark. It doesn’t have the bitter aftertaste and it gives meals a distinct, sweet taste. Furthermore, it is resistant to thermal treatment, so it’s very good for baking. Most importantly, as opposed to sugar, xylitol doesn’t have any addictive properties and it doesn’t weaken the body. In case of overdose, the worst that can happen is diarrhoea.
Numbers
– Xylitol has around 40% less calories and 75% less carbohydrates than white sugar;
– Around 30% of consumed xylitol is absorbed by the liver, and the rest of it is decomposed in the gastrointestinal tract by the bacteria that deals with short chain fatty acids;
– Its glycaemic index is IG 8;
Why xylitol specifically?
– It’s a healthy replacement for white sugar – sugar made of birch bark has a significantly lower glycaemic index and it has a lot less calories than white sugar;
– it’s a perfect pick for diabetics and people who count every calorie without giving up all sweets, it can be used by people with diabetes and people who are trying to fight with their obesity, as it reduces the sweets cravings and the body can process it with minimal amount of insulin.
– xylitol is safe for teeth, as it has bactericidal properties that prevent caries.
– it’s natural and ecological – xylitol is a sugar that is made out of birch and other leaf trees that grow in Finland, and trees are also used in the process of making natural birch brown sugar that only comes from ecological and selected plantations.
Certificates and original Finnish Xylitol
In these times from far Asia we’re not only getting fake shoes, clothes and electronics, but also food. Unfortunately, this also includes xylitol that’s made in China and usually made out of genetically modified corn. Original birch sugar is made only by a company called Danisco Sweeteers – the only manufacturer of the original xylitol in Europe.
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