The Holistic Parrot by Leslie Moran
Although the naturally occurring sugar that is processed to make xylitol is found in small quantities in many fresh foods, problems occur when it has been commercially produced for use as a sweetener. When this sugar substitute has been added to foods and then was accidentally eaten by dogs even small amounts of xylitol caused extreme illness and sometimes death. And yes, xylitol has also killed birds. We’ll give you all the details on this.
Xylitol is a chemically produced artificial sweetener that is manufactured by hydrogenating xylose. This process involves adding hydrogen atoms to the xylose and reduces the double and triple element bonds to create single carbon-carbon bonds. Xylose is a sugar that occurs naturally in nature and is one of the most abundant carbohydrates in nature. Birchwood contain high levels of xylose and is commonly used for manufacturing xylitol.
Xylitol is a sugar alcohol that’s as sweet as sugar, but with a lower glycemic index and calorie content than sugar. It is a sugar substitute sweetener used in many foods and products designed for people with diabetes due to its low glycemic index and low-calorie content.