How Xylitol and Lucuma can bring the sweetness back into your life.

It’s about 25 years since I was first familiarised with the notion of candida overgrowth syndrome. Sufferers had no choice but to avidly avoid sugar in all its forms, as sugar fed the candida. The only alternative to sugar was artificial sweeteners. They did not aggravate candida directly, but they did contribute indirectly because most naturopaths and natural health practitioners regarded them as extremely damaging to the immune and neurological system. So most people in the natural health field were implacably opposed to them, leaving candida sufferers who happened to like sweet food with no get out of jail card.

Enter Xylitol and Lucuma: Natural Alternatives to Sugar

First we’ll talk about Xylitol. The cheaper brands are derived from corn, and the very slightly dearer one we provide is derived from birch trees, which causes less problems for food allergy sufferers.

Technically Xylitol is a ‘sugar’, specifically a ‘sugar alcohol’. However the term ‘sugar alcohol’ is a little misleading in the sense that Xylitol is nothing like sugar.

First of all it will NOT feed candida. Candida cannot metabolise Xylitol. Some commentators have claimed it it not only doesn’t feed candida, it actually has anti fungal / anti-candidal properties. For many people Xylitol is a “miracle” food which makes the misery of candida a lot less miserable.

Secondly, it will not rot your teeth. In fact it protects them because of its anti-microbial action in the mouth, which means it helps prevent plaque. it also turned out that candida could not metabolise it.

Thirdly it does not unbalance blood sugar like regular sugar (actually Xylitol does have some degree of blood sugar raising activity, but has a much lower glycaemic index than sugar). 

Fourthly it contains around 40% less carlories. 

Xylitol looks like sugar, tastes like sugar, has about the same level of sweetness as sugar per teaspoon, and has no unpleasant aftertaste, and can be used in exactly the same way as sugar in baking, and in your tea, coffee and hot chocolates.

So if its natural, where does Xylitol come from?

Xylitol is actually present in small amounts in a lot of fruits, especially stoned fruit such as cherries, plums etc.

What is commercially available Xylitol derived from?

Usually birch or corn. The corn derived xylitol is slightly cheaper, and is usually the one you will find in supermarkets. But it is more likely to cause problems in those cannot tolerate corn easily (65% of the population, according to one of my teachers).

Are there any drawbacks to using Xylitol?

Yes. Firstly, excessive amounts can cause diarrhoea – though not in everyone. Also, in many cases this effect subsides as the body gets used to Xylitol. Secondly a small percentage of people find it bloating, and cannot tolerate it. This is NOT because it feeds candida (it doesn’t). And ironically some people have stated that is has reduced their bloating. Thirdly, and very importantly, Xylitol must NEVER be given to dogs. Like chocolate, Xylitol is toxic to dogs.

In some cases people can tolerate our birch derived Xylitol but cannot tolerate the cheaper corn derived variety. So if you’ve tried another brand before which you couldn’t tolerate it is conceivable that you will be able to tolerate our Xylobrit.

Click here to buy Corn-free, Birch derived Xylitol from The Finchley Clinic Ltd

Price: Was £4.35 Now Only £2.99 for 250g

Lucuma: Another healthy choice for sweetening food.

Lucuma is a fibrous fruit has been cultivated and harvested for thousands of years. It is also known as egg fruit, as the outer layer resembles the color and consistency of cooked egg yolks-a little dry and chalky. The texture and flavor of the fruit inside has been said to resemble a cross between the sweet potato and maple, and is high in beta carotene and other B vitamins. Often referred to as Incan Gold, the dried powder of the lucuma is a perfect way to add a unique sweet flavor to your favorite foods and beverages while maintaining a low glycemic index. Like Xylitol, is is lower in calories than traditional sweeteners, and it will not cause major spikes and crashes of blood sugar to those who consume it.

Price £9.99 for 300g, available by clicking here.

Wishing good health to all our customers.

Mark G. Lester

Director, The Finchley Clinic Ltd