In the second of our series on how we source our ingredients, we talk about our magic ingredient – xylitol. Read on and get to know this funny sounding ingredient a little better.
Why xylitol?
As a sweetener, we think that xylitol is the best of the bunch. Not only is this clever ingredient low-calorie and great for teeth, it’s also completely naturally derived, something that’s really important to us here at Peppersmith HQ. Xylitol is found in most trees and plants, proving that mother nature really does know best. This is unlike how conventional mint and gum brands choose to sweeten their products, as the majority use artificial sweeteners like aspartame, acesulfame K or sorbitol.
Here’s how we source our xylitol…
From birch and beech trees
When it comes to xylitol, the best stuff really comes from the bark of birch and beech trees. This is because they are naturally rich in xylose. So, we try to source most of our xylitol from these trees, and when we can’t get it from there we use other starchy vegetables like green beans.
Always European and never GMO
We always get our xylitol from European trees and veggies. Not just because we like to keep things a bit more local, but because we like to avoid xylitol that comes from the genetically modified crops from across the globe.
Why not other natural sweeteners?
Don’t get us wrong, we love other natural sweeteners like Stevia and Erythritol, and you can read all about our thoughts on them here. But for us, xylitol is the best tasting alternative to sugar that we could find. Plus, it’s ah-mazing for your gnashers so we just had to go with it.
Why don’t more people know about xylitol?
Lot’s of people do, especially in the home of xylitol, Finland. However, awareness of xylitol in the UK is still lower than for other sweeteners like stevia, which we’re working hard to change. If you’d like to get in to a bit more detail on xylitol and it’s history, then click here.
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