xylitol

American  

[zahy-li-tawl, -tol] / ˈzaɪ lɪˌtɔl, -ˌtɒl /

noun

Biochemistry.

1. a naturally occurring pentose sugar alcohol, C 5 H 12 O 5 , used as a sugar substitute.

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xylitol British  

/ ˈzaɪlɪˌtɒl /

noun

1. chem an artificial sweetener produced from xylose and used esp in chewing gum. Formula: CH 2 HOH(CHOH) 3 CH 2 OH

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xylitol Scientific  

/ zī′lĭ-tôl′,-tōl′ /

1. A sweet white crystalline alcohol derived from xylose and used as a sugar substitute. Chemical formula: C ₅ H ₁₂ O ₅ .

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Etymology

Origin of xylitol

< German Xylit (1891), equivalent to Xyl ( ose ) xylose + -it -ite ¹; see -itol

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

xylitol

Researchers examined seven sweeteners commonly used in foods and beverages: aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame-K, erythritol, xylitol, sorbitol and tagatose.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 29, 2026

The study showed that CANECPI-5 works best when combined with fluoride and xylitol.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 5, 2026

A recent study found that chewing sugar-free gum with xylitol significantly decreased the rate of preterm births in a large group of women in a rural part of Malawi.

From Washington Post ● Jul. 29, 2022

There was a lower rate of preterm births before 37 weeks in the group that chewed xylitol gum: 13% compared with 17% in the control group.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 3, 2022

OK, and for body, too — so don't get too crazy and omit or swap the sweetener completely for a sugar-free alternative, like xylitol or stevia.

From Salon ● Jul. 4, 2021

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