Berry Sparx (click to enlarge)
Sparx is a new candy from a company called Xlear (pronounced “Clear” – don’t ask me how/why). What is interesting about it is that it is sweetened with Xylitol. When I first saw this, I figured it was some made-up ingredient like “Scope with T25″ or “Certs with Retsyn”, but in reading about it, Xylitol has been around since the 1950′s, and has been used in products in Europe (and especially Finland) for year, though I had never heard of it before this review.
So, a quick lesson in Xylitol before we get into the review…..”Pure Xylitol is a white crystalline substance that looks and tastes like sugar. It is a naturally occurring 5-carbon sugar alcohol found in many fruits and vegetables and produced in small amounts by the human body. For commercial use, it is manufactured from xylan hemicellulose sources such as Birch trees, cane bagasse and corn cobs/stalks. It is the sweetest of the polyols with the same sweetness as sugar (sucrose) but with 40% fewer calories and none of the negative tooth decay or insulin release effects of sugar.” For lots more information on Xylitol, visit the Xlear webpage on Xylitol.
So, to sum it up, Sparx candy is sweetened with a sweetener that’s actually not bad for you. So, what are they? Sparx are fruit-flavored, bite size candies about the size of a Tart N Tiny (remember those?) and the center is similar to a SweetTart in consistency/texture. They come in three different 30g flavor tubes: Citrus, Berry, and Fruit. The flavors for each are as follows:
- Citrus: lemon, lime, orange, and tangerine
- Berry: blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, and strawberry
- Fruit: apple, banana, grape, and peach
This review only covers Citrus and Berry flavors. One of the interesting things about Xylitol is that it is supposed to produce a “cooling sensation” on the tongue and I could definitely feel this – it’s kind of weird. I think it would be a good feeling in a mint. As for the Sparx, the candy was as sweet tasting as any other candy, and the flavors were pretty tasty. The orange (or was it tangerine) reminded me of an orange Tic-Tac. The berry flavors were nice and strong too and very recognizable.
Overall they were pretty good, but something about them wasn’t quite right and I’m not sure what. I’m guessing it must be the Xylitol, since I don’t think I have ever had it before. They actually made me feel a little light-headed and nauseous. I tried them two different times and got the same efect both times. Maybe Xylitol doesn’t agree with my metabolism?
I did see this warning in one of Xylitol flyers:
Xylitol requires a brief period of tolerance adjustment. It may have a laxative effect when used in large quantities.
That doesn’t give me a warm fuzzy feeling. The first time I tried them I ate quite a few – maybe….30? of them (they’re small) and felt sick, but I figured it was just coincidence. This last time I tried eight – one of each flavor from the two tubes and I started feeling sick again about 15 minutes later. Ugh. Because of this, I can’t recommend them to anyone. This weekend, I’ll get both of my sisters to try them and I’ll give you an update on what they thought and if it made them feel nauseous too. Maybe it’s just me.
UPDATE: I did a little bit of searching and found this article at allstarhealth.com that says this about Xylitol: ” Side Effects: May cause gastrointestinal upset (nausea, flatulence, diarrhea) in some individuals, depending upon the amount consumed. These side effects usually diminish with continued use.” So, Xylitol must have a profound effect on me (nausea). Your results may vary. (Maybe I won’t give any to my sisters).
UPDATE2:I talked with one of the PR people from Xlear today and he said “I have been working with xylitol for two years, and your report of nausea is the first.” So, it could be that my case is quite rare. More on this once I get some Sparx to my sisters.
Sparx are available online or you can use their Store Locator to find a retailer near you. They are carried mostly in health and vitamin shops. The price is $1.49 per tube.
Xlear website
Sparx webpage
Xylitol at Xlear.com
Xylitol at allstarhealth.com
Have returned a survived no ill effects from my first dose of xylitol. However I will go slowly replacing sugar gradually with xylitol so the body adapts re: the above comments.
I’ve been consuming Xylitol now for nearly 2days.i was actually looking for Stevia,but unfortunately the only shop who sells natural sweetners in my area was out of stock and i decided 2 give Xylitol a try.Im not planning to give it up yet but damn ppl,im bloated and giving off gas like a pregnant horse!and for an hour i had mild stomache cramps.im usually constipated,i was hoping Xylitol could help me have bowl movements but so far that aspect only improved slightly.the main reason i went looking for natural sweetner was cause i suffer from Candida,and ive got a sweet tooth.can any1 explain to me,is this bloating a sure sign my yeast problem is busy dying?and how long might these terrible symptoms last?oh,and i brush my teeth and floss religiously but yet i end up wit tooth decay at least twice a year,most likely due2 my sugar cravings.the other day i noticed one of my back teeth seems to hav chipped or lost small strip of enamel in the most weirdest place,above by the gumline.almost as if i flossed it out.im mortified!i dont have the money2 visit my dental hygenist for at least 2 mnths and i fear ill lose my tooth,for its starting to hurt a little.can anyone advice me pls,can Xylitol be my saviour?if Xylitol remineralizes teeth,and if i avoid cane sugar like the plague,could this possibly repair my tooth?oh,and i agree,Xylitol tastes gr8,but the flatulence sucks big time and the price is “pricey.”A gr8 tip to those ppl who use Xylitol.make a chocolate drink to satisfy ur choco cravings.its fabulous.use 1 tsp raw cacao,200ml cold fat-free milk,2 ise-cubes and 3 tsp heaped Xylitol.shake it up so it becomes like a thick milkshake,and then indulge.gr8 for dieters.contains no more than 100 calories.plus the benefits of raw cacao is amazing,ranging from increasing collegen production,liver tonic,gr8 for nails and hair and a mood elevator amongst other things.yum!
Im glad that I found this site. I bought Ice Breakers Ice Cubes gum (with Xylitol)three days ago. I was sick the first day I ate it with nausea, more than frequent bowel movements , a headache and excessive gas. I thought that I was getting a stomach flu but I was fine the next morning.
Sometime around noon the next day I had another piece of gum and again I got the same sickness and the only thing I had in common with the previously day was eating this gum at the time that I got sick.
I started looking around and found that some people do not process Xylitol correctly. I know that it makes me feel like I have some kind of stomach flu.
I was glad to stumble on this site and fine out that Im not alone. I discovered that you body does get used to it after some time but Im going to cut it out of my diet completely. I hate this feeling.
I began putting xylitol in my morning coffee when I lived with a roommate who used it. I thought it sounded like the perfect natural sweetener.
About a week later, I took a pregnancy test after getting nauseous EVER morning. I wasn’t pregnant’ it was the xylitol!
It is frightening me to read people’s poor ability to reason about health. Xylitol is produced naturally in many living things. Even if you don’t eat xylitol it is already in your system and it is a naturally occuring alcohol sugar in many foods.It is not an “artificial sweetner,” in that it is found in nature and it has been proven to itself not be anything but good for the body. But what happens when it is consumed even in small amounts. Why do some not feel well? Most of us are full of bad germs throughout our bodies. If you eat something that kills the bad germs the death of the germ can cause a Herksheimer reaction (a die off reaction). This is beacause germs produce neurotoxins and release them slowly when they grow or quickly if they die off. The toxins produced by the 1- 2 pounds of bad germs in your body (candida fungus in your gut, bacterias, etc)are possibly one of the main causes of ill health. Most people who die from AIDS or cancer die from the effects of the toxins from the overgrowth of fungus that occurs when their immune systems fail. Something even most doctor’s don’t know is that not only do germs do bad things such as make us all the time a little bit sick (headaches, depression, arthritis, low immune low body temp…etc) and cold and lethargic, but they do quasi good things too like hold onto our heavy metals for us. Even if you kill only a few germs in your stomach (helicobacter pylori – infection rate in US up to 85% of us)it can release heavy metals (nausea, headache) and or cause your body to have an allergic reaction to the germ’s toxins not the xylitol or garlic which you ate that killed them off (so maybe its not the natural xylitol its the mercury or neurotoxins from the die off).
To help with understanding health which is super complicated please, you slightly trigger-happy bloggers, learn to write down your ideas and then research each word that is not 100% clear to you on the internet before you publish. That is one way you can really understand more. However, the more you learn the more confusing it all is so maybe you are all wiser to just reason things out in your own private universes. It is a problem in general on the internet that people type without researching enough on their own.
Maybe this is wrong, but I hope this helps raise the bar on thinking together!
Be well, all of us! Mary
Usually with this kind of thing few people will get sick and its expected. Its just odd how many people have found this one website to post on and all have had problems with the Xylitol. It sounds like in its raw form for baking people react harsher to it. I would think muffins would at least have a cup or more of sugar. So from not having Xylitol at all to having atleast two muffins is extremely excessive. I think people that have admitted to slowly and gradually introducing themselves to this sugar substitute have the right idea. Anything in excess and extremes is bad for you whether it be food, alcohol or anything.
I chew gum with Xylitol in it. It’s raspberry mint Orbit. I love the stuff but I don’t have a more then two pieces a day. I also don’t chew gum everyday.
I really feel bad for the woman with the son with the bad eczema problem it sounds like he’s just completely allergic to it. I hope he’s better because that is an awful thing to go through. Kid’s do learn these things about themselves when there small so when there older they know what to expect for themselves. I just don’t think something should be completely outed because a few people are allergic and have problems with it. Lots of people are allergic to strawberry’s,tomatoes, wheat but nobody is taking that off the market because few people are.
If we all should be worried about anything its the water. I am much more concerned about getting cancer from chemically tainted water then sugar substitutes.
Sure glad I read these replies on xylitol before I tried it! Reminds me of when I first tried nattokinase to thin my blood. My blood pressure went sky high which was the opposite effect I was expecting. I would have never tried it again except for the fact that it dramatically improved the circulation in my legs. So I waited 2 days until my blood pressure dropped back down and tried it again. My blood pressure shot up but not as high and the circulation in my legs got even better. Now I can take several pills a day and have no blood pressure rise at all as I am now using the nattokinase to dissolve the remaining fibrin in my scar tissue. Definitely getting to the point of diminishing returns. The point I am making is that I will start using xylitol very gradually so as not to be overwhelmed by any yeast die off symptoms and build up my tolerance at a comfortable rate. I suggest others do the same. I am hoping that xylitol will help me control my diabetes better and not contribute to insulin resistance like today’s historically high intake of fructose has done to me.
I tried xylitol, just in tea and coffee so only about 1 and half teaspoons per day. I began to feel nauseous but figured I was detoxing after cutting out sugar etc. I kept up the xylitol as it does have anti-bac benefits but although I wd use more than 1.5 tsp per day on certain days and use in baking ie 1/2 cup to make 12 muffins – I got SEVERE cramps and actually had a test for food poisoning it was that bad. It caused inflammation in my intestines to the point that the OC that I use was not being absorbed so estrogen/progesterone cronically low. Thanks xylitol. NOT!!! I have given this stuff the elbow.
My husband & I have been using xylitol as part of Dr Ellie’s dental health regime for a little less than a month now, with each of us having very different effects from the same protocol (6-10g xylitol per day after antiseptic rinses and brushing). I noticed an almost immediate lessening of bad-breath and tooth sensitivity, and my gingivitis started getting better (less soreness, gums healing). I had only one bout of the runs after a day in the first week when I ate a double dose or more, and I’ve had no problems since then, though I’m more cautious now to limit my consumption.
My husband however, had the experience of increasing rawness in his mouth, which after a couple of weeks got so bad he was forced to start trying to eliminate the cause by stopping one after another of the elements of Dr. Ellie’s regime, beginning with the most caustic rinses (the alcohol based Listerine) and waiting a few days before he changes anything else, to see what the effect is. He is now down to eliminating the most innocuous rinse, the xylitol solution (he’s only been doing one teaspoon to a liter of water), and after only one day off of it, he’s finally feeling a bit of relief, though its too soon to be sure it will heal up completely. A google search of “xylitol adverse reactions” brought up a mention of rare allergic reactions (for the allergic people possible at any dose), and of “oral excema” (rash, raw skin in the mouth) which is only supposed to occur at daily dosages above 60 grams, not the 6-10 grams my husband has been taking. He’s really disappointed, because his teeth could really use the remineralization effect of xylitol.
There are also papers describing the kill-off reactions that others have mentioned above – I suppose what my husband is experiencing could b e a manifestation of that. Xylitol is supposed to have antifungal and anti-yeast properties (thus its worthless for making yeast-raised baked goods). I’m wondering if my husband’s mouth already had fungal or yeast organisms incubating in the skin, if that could explain why his skin is being attacked, and not mine. Or perhaps our biochemistry is just that different; if the average person makes 15 grams of xylitol per day, what happens to a person who makes a lot more than the normal amount in their body and then takes an external dose on top of that – would they get the symptoms of an overdose? We may never know, but each person knows their own body best and must listen to it.
Lastly, I wanted to mention that not all xylitol is created equal (hardwood sourced is best – much of the Chinese stuff comes from agribiz corncobs), and that many products that boast they contain xylitol also contain other sugar substitutes like sorbitol, which definitely can cause gastro-intestinal troubles, and can also cause dental cavities worse than those caused by pure sugar. Those who’ve had bad reactions they’ve blamed on xylitol would do well to find out where it was sourced and whether it was pure or blended with other artificial sweeteners.
In our case we were careful to get the 100% pure hardwood sourced xylitol, yet it didn’t make a difference for my husband. Interestingly, I think he doesn’t have a noticeable bad reaction to aspartame/Nutrasweet, though he avoids it anyways, yet when I get some by mistake, I know it almost immediately, for it gives me a splitting headache in less than 10 minutes, and I’m not prone to headaches unless I’m really dehydrated.
Wow, the BS on the page in defense of Xylitol is unbelievable and irresponsible. I bought a bag from a health food store, and the first time I used it became sick with an unusual malaise and bad digestive issues, but chalked that up to coincidence. Now monthly later, I tried using Xylitol again, and I’m having those exact symptoms all over again…this expensive bag now goes in the trash.
I’ve been using Xylitol and baking with it for the past three weeks and both my husband and I are just fine. Some things that are natural bother some people, others not.
I guess I have to stop eating Xylitol! The problem is exactly what it does. It kill bacteria and yeast, and is eaten.
In our digestive tract, bacteria is beneficial. That’s why we eat Yogurt.
This is why Xylitol causes diarrhea and gas. It is bad for your digestion because it kills good bacteria.
Go figure. Live and learn!
I have to go to the health food store and buy yeast and get my intestinal flora back to normal!
Oops I mean Yogurt!
Xylitol can be used in cooking. Just not for bread, cakes, any recipe that rise. It stops the process. I have used it in cooking oatmeal. I add it and cinnamon . Along with some organic coconut oil mixed into my butter. All combined makes a nice tasty morning dish. I mix organic coconut oil into my butter to extend it, plus it give the butter fluffy consistant, has better flavor. A little goes a long way. Hint: my husband does not like coconut..cannot tell the difference…he always comments on how good everything taste, from biscuits to meats.
Hard to believe some of the anti-xylitol comments here – this is naturally occuring sugar alcohol …the body naturally produces xylitol and it is found in many fruit and vegetables. You definitely should not be using xylitol as you would sugar. It should be used sparingly like a medicine, in small amounts split up in the day on a daily basis.
Xylitol is extremely powerful (probably the most effective antimicrobial ever discovered) in its effect on pathogenic bacteria. It doesn’t just kill and eradicate s. mutans, the bug responsible for cavities, but also candida and many pathogens involved in periodontal disease. It has been known to heal hopelessly large periodontal pockets very rapidly and clear up gum disease like nothing else. It is doomsday for bacteria. It tastes sweet like sugar, but should be treated like the powerful medicine it is. Additionally, it appears to help with insulin control and osteoporosis.
Use it sparingly at first. Like many human foods, dogs cannot have it, it can cause fatal hypoglycemia
Here is an interesting site that looks at its dental effects:
http://www.healingteethnaturally.com/rinsing-mouth-brushing-teeth-with-xylitol-sugar.html
Xylitol is a huge threat to the dental industry and even to the health and alternative health industry. Unlike many of the herbs and healing recommendations and diets around, xylitol works and does it fast and cheap.
Of course, with the above said, it is possible to be intolerant to anything, and if you are having a bad reaction to xylitol, cut back or discontinue if there is no improvement.
I generally have an iron stomach – but xylitol is my kryptonite!
This has struck me twice – once a few years back with gum that gave me nasty obdominal pain every time I chewed it (easy to find the cause then).
And now again after weeks of worry and a doctor visit – because of ongoing abdominal pain – I find xylitol in my new Tom’s of Maine tooth paste! Switch toothpaste and the pain was gone within 36hrs.
Thank god! I thought I had a gall stone! How can anyone actually eat this stuff?
@lilaviator – Your reaction to Tom’s toothpaste is probably from the flavoring, not the xylitol. I had the same reaction, and that was before they started using xylitol. My dentist says it’s probably from the cinnamon, which is irritating to some people.