Well, let me tell you first that it's not without it's benefits. My younger daughter used Xylitol in the nasal spray form as a baby. She had 7 rounds of pneumonia in one year and was being treated with nebulizer and steroids. I read about Xylitol, began using it and took her off dairy products. She cleared within two weeks. Xylitol is known for many things--preventing tooth decay, etc. It has been used for several decades in the U.S. as a food additive and is approved by the FDA.
Fast forward to me--a couple of months ago. I decided that artificial sweetners would be off my list. I moved to Xylitol--the granular type. I loved it in my coffee--I began using it in lots of things right away--on top of berries, in smoothies, etc. About two days in I began cramping and assumed I had a stomach bug. Overnight I lost 3 pounds due to diarrhea. It cleared. My stomach was a little peaked so I did mostly toast and crackers for a couple of days. On the 3rd morning I got up and made my coffee with another dose of the Xylitol. Within an hour or two I began experiencing the same cramps and diarhhea again! After doing some research I learned this was indeed a common side effect for many people.
If you begin using it, I would go sparingly just to make certain you aren't one of "those people."
Last edited by Thighs Be Gone; 12-22-2009 at 06:17 PM.
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