What Are the Differences Between Xylitol And Ordinary Sugars?
Xylitol and ordinary sugar (such as sucrose, glucose, etc.) have the following differences:
1. Chemical structure.
Xylitol is a five-carbon sugar alcohol, with the chemical name of pentapentol. Its structure is different from monosaccharides such as glucose. It is a reduction product of sugars.
Ordinary sugars, such as sucrose, are disaccharides composed of one molecule of glucose and one molecule of fructose; glucose is a monosaccharide with an aldehyde structure.
2. Sweetness.
The sweetness of Xylitol is similar to that of sucrose, about 1.2 times that of sucrose.
The sweetness of different ordinary sugars varies. For example, the sweetness of glucose is about 0.7-0.8 times that of sucrose, and the sweetness of fructose is higher, which is 1.2-1.8 times that of sucrose.
3. Calories.
Xylitol has low calories, only about 40% of sucrose, and each gram of Xylitol provides about 2.4 kcal of calories.
Ordinary sugar has a high calorie content, with each gram of sucrose or glucose providing about 4 kcal of calories.
4. Metabolism.
After Xylitol enters the human body, part of it can be directly absorbed and utilized, and does not require the participation of insulin. It is metabolized slowly in the liver and will not cause a sharp rise in blood sugar.
Ordinary sugars, such as glucose, are taken up and utilized by cells under the action of insulin after entering the human body, and converted into glycogen or fat for storage; sucrose needs to be decomposed into glucose and fructose in the body before being metabolized, which will cause a large fluctuation in blood sugar.
5. Impact on teeth.
Xylitol cannot be used by bacteria in the mouth to produce acid, and can also inhibit the growth of streptococci and the production of acid, which helps prevent tooth decay.
Ordinary sugar is easily decomposed by oral bacteria to produce acid, corroding teeth, and long-term excessive intake can easily cause tooth decay.
6. Source and production.
Xylitol is naturally present in some fruits and vegetables, but the content is relatively low. It is mainly produced industrially by hydrogenation and reduction of xylose, and the raw materials are mostly agricultural and forestry wastes rich in xylan, such as corn cobs and sugarcane bagasse.
Ordinary sugar, such as sucrose, is mainly extracted from sugar cane or beets; glucose can be obtained by hydrolyzing starch.
7. Application scope.
Xylitol is often used in the production of sugar-free foods, medicines, cosmetics, oral care products, etc., and is suitable for diabetics, obese people and consumers who pay attention to health.
Ordinary sugar is widely used in various fields such as food industry, beverages, cooking, etc. It is the main source of sweeteners in people's daily lives, but diabetics, obese p
