Okay, am I the last one to know xylitol is not an artificial sweetener? All this time I thought it was concocted in a laboratory -- I mean, it sure sounds like a lab chemical -- so I shied away from products listing xylitol on the label. Wrong.

Here are a few quick facts on xylitol:

• A naturally-occurring sugar alcohol commonly used as a sugar substitute, xylitol differs from sorbitol, glucose and fructose as it has five carbons to their six. Its sweetening power is comparable to sucrose, with only two-thirds the food energy.
• It's considered low-glycemic and has about 40 percent fewer calories than sugar.
• Xylitol is found in fruits, veggies, straw, oat hulls, wood and even human tissues, to name a few.
• Finland kicked xylitol into the mainstream. Many Finnish confectionaries and nearly all the chewing gum sold in Finland and the rest of Europe are sweetened with xylitol. Some gum in the U.S. is partially sweetened with this X-wonder (e.g., Trident, Orbit Complete).
• Studies have shown xylitol is a cavity-preventer as it halts acid attacks on teeth after eating. It can even repair enamel. More on X-toothfriendly here.
• Xylitol added to a natural nasal wash can help prevent sinus and middle ear infections -- check out Xlear. I may purchase a bottle -- just finished an antiobiotic for my annual sinus infection.

Read more about xylitol here and here.