It’s funny. I don’t use sugar on anything. When I drink tea, I use Splenda. I don’t even use salt. But when we visited our kids in L.A. about a month ago, they introduced us to a xylitol sweetener. It was so remarkable that I have been thinking about it all month. Last night my wife and I finally stopped at Whole Foods and bought a bag of Xyla. Of course, I also bought a box of strawberries to go with it.

It was just as I had remembered in L.A. I felt the crunch of sugar, the taste of sugar, and the appearance of sugar, without the guilt of adding many calories, and without the guilt of worrying about tooth decay. This morning I had to add a spoonful of the stuff on my cereal – just for fun, of course.

As I often do when I am eating something new, I began reading all the words on the package, such as, “Excessive use may cause a mild laxative effect,” and “Not for pets.” Then I Googled xylitol. Here are some of the more interesting findings.

1. The word xylitol comes from xylon (wood) and itol (sugar alcohol). Sugar alcohols come from the fibers of many fruits and vegetables, including birch tree bark.

2. If you exceed your “laxation threshold” (the amount that can be consumed before abdominal discomfort sets in) you could experience bloating, flatulence and diarrhea. One teaspoon equals 4 grams. It is recommended to consume no more than 40-50 grams/day.

3. Xylitol has potential as a treatment for osteoporosis (which I have). One study found that xylitol prevents weakening of bones, and actually improves bone density in rats.

4. Dogs that have ingested high levels of xylitol (greater than 100mg per kg of body weight) have had low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), which can be life threatening for them. So if I have this correct, a dog that weighs 44 pounds (20kg), and consumes 2,000mg (2 grams, or 2/5 teaspoon) of xylitol, would be in danger.

So what will I do? I expect to continue to take a teaspoon of Xyla with my combined yogurt and fruit. I’ll wait and see what happens. It’s two years to my next bone density test, so I’ll try to enjoy my Xyla until then, at least.

Mr. Ebsen may be contacted at Robertebsen@hotmail.com