There is no way to, ahem, sugarcoat it: consuming too much added sugar is detrimental to our health. It’s one of the leading risk factors for heart disease, the top cause of death globally. In the US alone, heart disease accounts for around 800,000 deaths annually. The issue is that added sugar is ubiquitous in many foods, including soft drinks, flavored yogurts, cereals, processed foods, and the obvious culprits like candy, cookies, and cakes. In response, food companies have sought ways to reduce added sugar, one of which is by using sweeteners such as xylitol.
Nowadays, xylitol is found in a plethora of products on store shelves. It’s used in some baked goods and peanut butter, as well as in oral care products, breath mints, and chewing gum. Many of these products are endorsed by celebrities: Dove Cameron, for instance, has previously partnered with Tic Tac gum, which…