Which is better, stevia or xylitol?

Anyone who cannot resist adding sweeteners to food, desserts or drinks can fortunately now choose from a whole range of sweeteners that do not interfere with metabolism to the same extent as sugar. A good example of this are sweeteners with slightly different properties (e.g. stevia and xylitol), but which make it just as easy to compose a diet.

1. Alternative sweeteners in the diet
2. Properties of stevia
3. Properties of xylitol

Alternative sweeteners in the diet

Sweeteners other than sugar can be both less and more caloric than sucrose, and can also be characterised by a sweetness that is more or less intense than table sugar. They can be isolated from plant sources and synthesised in laboratory conditions.

Regardless of which product replaces sugar in the diet, the use of substitutes can reduce the calorie content of the diet and mitigate the effects of excessive simple carbohydrate intake on the body. Looking at the properties of stevia and xylitol, it is difficult to say unequivocally which of these sugar substitutes is better, but in most cases it does no harm to use both.

Properties of stevia

Stevia is a plant-based sweetener. It is extracted from the leaves of a plant known as Stevia rebaudiana, which has been growing in South America for centuries. Its main chemical compounds, which give it its sweet taste, are steviol glycosides, which do not provide the body with calories and can be up to 300 times sweeter than sucrose. In addition to not increasing the calorie content of the diet, stevia has been shown to help lower blood glucose levels. It is therefore added to drinks, ice cream, jams and cakes. What is more, unlike sugar, it can inhibit and kill certain bacteria, which means it can be used in the production of toothpaste, for example.

The plant from which steviosides are extracted has low water and soil requirements, making its production more environmentally friendly than the production of sugar from beet or cane. It is well tolerated by healthy individuals (both adults and children) even in high doses (12 mg/kg b.w./day). The main disadvantage of stevia as a sweetener seems to be its price per 100 g, which is obviously related to the cost of obtaining steviosides.

Properties of xylitol

Xylitol is a sweetener that is sometimes produced in laboratory conditions, but it is also found in nature. It is produced by processing one of the carbohydrates, namely xylose, a compound first isolated from birch trees. Unlike stevia, xylitol is not calorie-free, but low in calories.

The body can partially use this compound to produce energy, but on average it is about 2.4 kcal, which is not much compared to table sugar (4 kcal). The sweetness level of xylitol is described as similar to sucrose. It can be used in beverages, sweet foods and desserts, as well as chewing gum and toothpaste. One of the limitations in the use of xylitol is that not every digestive tract can tolerate large doses of polyols, which include this compound, from the outset. However, doses of 10 to 30 g divided into smaller portions throughout the day are usually well tolerated.