The industry has now brought numerous sugar alternatives onto the market. Whether stevia, aspartame or sucolin, the list of alternative sweeteners is long. Birch sugar has a hard time there. But why can’t xylitol prevail against its competitors? Although you can still benefit from the sweetener. Tolfioow took a closer look at the additive and clarifies it.
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What is birch sugar and where does it come from?
Birch sugar was first discovered by Emil Fischer around 1890. The scientist was able to isolate the sugar substitute from beech shavings. In the years that followed, however, xylitol was mainly obtained from the bark of the birch tree, which is how it got the name we know today. Although discovered in tree bark, birch sugar is found in nearly all vegetables and fruits. However, the amount is so small that it is not worth isolating them. Nowadays, birch sugar is obtained from many residues such as straw, grain bran and corn cobs. Obtaining it is anything but easy. The residues mentioned are heated to over 200 degrees and washed out with sulfuric acid. With this process, xylose is obtained, which is then converted into xylitol under high pressure and with a catalyst.
This complex production makes birch sugar expensive. Very expensive to be precise. Up to 16 euros must be paid for a kilo. And the type of production is not particularly environmentally friendly either. The high price makes the sugar substitute unattractive for many supermarkets, but it is still available in some supermarkets. The powder looks very similar to normal sugar and has a similar sweetening power. Industry uses xylitol mainly in the manufacture of chewing gum and toothpaste, but birch sugar is now also used for jams. Brands such as Bircolin or Birkengold are increasingly relying on the positive properties of birch sugar. But how do they actually look like?
By the way: sugars are being used more and more in cosmetics. You can find the advantages of these beautifiers in our guide .
Is birch sugar healthy? The positive properties…
Unlike many sweeteners, which mostly only shine with far-fetched abilities, xylitol actually has proven positive properties. Birch sugar has an anticariogenic effect. To put it simply: birch sugar prevents tooth decay. For this reason xylitol is used by the industry in dental care and sugar-free chewing gum often contains it as a sweetener. Xylitol is our daily companion when brushing our teeth and its effects ensure healthy teeth. What’s good for the chewing gum and toothpaste industry is bad for baking. Xylitol tastes slightly minty. You can find more tips for proper dental care in our guide .
Of course, the manufacturers have now removed this minty taste, which is why you can use birch sugar for baking without any problems. The sweetening power is also similar to that of normal household sugar, which means that you can use roughly the same amounts. However, birch sugar does not get along with yeast. The sweetener is therefore unsuitable for bread. Birch sugar is also not completely low in calories. 100 grams of xylitol still contain 240 calories. Finally, a clear warning must be given. At first, birch sugar can have a laxative effect. However, the human body gets used to the substance after a while. It’s worse with pets. Because in some animals, including dogs, xylitol is toxic and can lead to severe poisoning.
