/oss/taxonomy/term/2370/all en /oss/article/did-you-know/xylan <p>Xylitol often appears in candies and gum as a low calorie sweetener. It has the added benefit that unlike sugar it does not support the growth of bacteria that can cause cavities. Xylitol’s name derives from the Greek “xylan” meaning wood because the compound can be derived from the bark of trees. The musical instrument known as the “xylophone” also owes its name to “xylan.” This percussion instrument consists of a series of wooden bars of increasing lengths, which when struck creates the sounds of the musical scale.</p> Sat, 20 May 2017 22:04:48 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 2453 at /oss /oss/article/health-and-nutrition-you-asked/what-xylitol-doing-chewing-gum <p>Giving the chewer a sweet experience without worrying about cavities. Hopefully it does this without precipitating a quick trip to the bathroom. Sugar, as we well know, is persona- non-grata as far as our teeth are concerned. Bacteria in our mouth find sugar to be a yummy snack and they happily ingest it. But like us, bacteria also poop. And when they consume sugar, they poop out acids that can corrode the tooth’s enamel and cause cavities to form. But chewing gum that isn’t sweet isn’t much fun. Artificial sweeteners like aspartame can be used to impart flavour, but xylitol is better.</p> Mon, 09 Apr 2012 16:15:24 +0000 OSS 1694 at /oss