What is Xylitol (Birch Sugar)?

Xylitol is a sugar alcohol (polyol) that is beneficial for the skin when used in skincare products, and also makes a delicious sugar substitute in your favorite baked goods. In short: a versatile ingredient.

Xylitol occurs naturally in plants: from fruits to vegetables and mushrooms to trees. The Xylitol we sell is derived from sustainably grown birch trees and is therefore also called birch sugar. Xylitol is also known by the E-number 967.

Benefits

Hydrates the skin and supports the skin barrier

Xylitol has a hydrating effect on the skin and can increase the amount of hyaluronic acid in the skin, an acid that is important for healthy collagen production. Xylitol helps strengthen the skin barrier and prevent premature skin aging.

Natural sugar alternative

Xylitol occurs naturally in berries, corn, oats, mushrooms and the bark of various trees, including birch. The sugar alcohol is almost as sweet as sucrose, but contains only 2/3 of the calories. Xylitol is therefore widely used as a sugar substitute, also thanks to its neutral taste.

In toothpaste and chewing gum

Xylitol is also often found in products for maintaining your teeth as a flavoring. Almost every toothpaste contains xylitol and it is often found in chewing gum.

How do you use it?

In DIY skincare products: from toothpaste to day cream

When using Xylitol in skincare products, it is important that you grind the crystals into a fine powder. Otherwise, your product will have a rough texture, which won't feel pleasant on the skin or in your mouth.

In the kitchen

Xylitol is a very easy sugar substitute because you can replace it 1:1. This means that if a recipe calls for 200 grams of sugar, you can replace it with 200 grams of Xylitol. So you don't need to do any calculations.

Note that Xylitol does not caramelize or melt. If that is your goal, you cannot use Xylitol as a sugar substitute. Also, when making baked goods that need to rise with yeast (such as bread), Xylitol can hinder this process.

Cookies made with Xylitol instead of sugar sometimes need to come out of the oven a bit earlier, so keep a close eye on them! Additionally, Xylitol absorbs more moisture than sugar, so you may need to add more wet ingredients to your recipe. A little soy yogurt can work wonders in getting the desired texture.

You can also easily use Xylitol as a sugar substitute in your coffee or tea.

What makes it so special?

Xylitol is harvested from sustainably grown birch trees in Scandinavia and Finland, without genetic modification. This makes Xylitol a 100% natural sugar substitute and beauty ingredient.