"Xylitol (
/ˈzaɪlɪtɒl/; Greek: ξύλον, xyl[on], "wood" + suffix -itol, used to denote sugar alcohols) is a sugar alcohol sweetener used as a naturally occurring sugar substitute. It is found in the fibers of many fruits and 
vegetables, and can be extracted from various berries, oats, and mushrooms, as well as fibrous material such as corn husks and sugar cane bagasse,[2][3] and birch[citation needed]. Xylitol is roughly as sweet as sucrose with only two-thirds the food energy."
"As with other sugar alcohols, with the exception of erythritol, consumption in excess of one's laxation threshold (the amount of sweetener that can be consumed before abdominal discomfort sets in) can result in temporary gastrointestinal side effects, such as bloating, flatulence, and diarrhea. Adaptation, an increase of the laxation threshold, occurs with regular intake. Xylitol has a lower laxation threshold than some sugar alcohols, but is more easily tolerated than others such as mannitol and sorbitol. "
"Xylitol is an organic compound with the formula (CHOH)3(CH2OH)2. This achiral species is one of four isomers of pentane-1,2,3,4,5-pentol."