3 500 Count Bag Larger Pieces = More Gum! XyloBurst Xylitol Green Tea Gum 500 pieces Xylitol is a natural sweetener that looks and tastes just like sugar. It has the same sweetness as sugar yet has 40% fewer calories, 75% fewer carbohydrates and is safe for diabetic and hypoglycemic persons and children. Xylitol also lacks the health concerns associated with artificial sweeteners, has a low glycemic index of 7 and has minimal effects on blood sugar levels. In clinical studies, xylitol has proven to be effective in the ability to inhibit bacteria from attaching to tissue in the mouth, throat and nasal passages. By reducing the amount of plaque producing bacteria present in the mouth, xylitol has been shown to help reduce the occurrence of caries (cavities). Xylitol is a member of the polyol family of sweeteners. Chemically speaking, it is a sugar alcohol and not actually sugar. Xylitol differs from other polyol sweeteners like sorbitol, mannitol and maltitol, and also sugar (sucrose), because it has a five-carbon atom structure instead of the usual six carbon atoms. This is the reason why xylitol has been proven to be the only sweetener to display anti-cavity properties.