A Natural Sweetener May Fight Viruses and Bacteria

A Natural Sweetener May Fight Viruses and Bacteria
While added sugar comes with added health risks and artificial sweeteners bring their own side effects, xylitol offers a long list of benefits.nadisja/Shutterstock
Martha Rosenberg
Updated:
Natural methods to boost the immune system and reduce the risk of contracting flu, colds and other viruses are invaluable. Xylitol, a popular, natural sweetener extracted from birch trees and found in plums, strawberries, and raspberries, may offer some help in those regards.
Xylitol has significant immune modulation properties that haven’t been widely publicized. Xylitol is mainly only known for its use in the treatment of middle ear infections (otitis media) and for its help in preventing dental bacteria (which can be a marker for stroke and heart attack-related arterial plaque and inflammation).
Martha Rosenberg
Martha Rosenberg
Author
Martha Rosenberg is a nationally recognized reporter and author whose work has been cited by the Mayo Clinic Proceedings, Public Library of Science Biology, and National Geographic. Rosenberg’s FDA expose, "Born with a Junk Food Deficiency," established her as a prominent investigative journalist. She has lectured widely at universities throughout the United States and resides in Chicago.
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