If you were to Google xylitol, you’d likely come up with a few different sites listing its benefits. Xylitol, a natural sugar alcohol, is found in trace amounts in certain fruits and vegetables. You’d probably see it listed as an ingredient on the labels of diabetes-friendly products, chewing gums, and even toothpaste. It’s considered a low-glycemic food, unlike high-fructose corn syrup or regular sugar (which means there’s minimal risk of blood sugar spikes). It’s even been studied in the context of improving your gut health, by promoting the prevalence of “good” gut bacteria. This particular benefit has been linked to its less-digestible and fermentable properties.
But for people with digestive issues, these same properties can become a concern. Xylitol is a high-FODMAP sugar alcohol. FODMAP, or fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols, refers to carbohydrates that aren’t easily digested in your gut. Poor absorption means your gut bacteria start to ferment the ingredient. For people with IBS and other gut issues, this can result in bloating and gas. Furthermore, xylitol can have a laxative effect on some people by pulling water to your stools (hence the diarrhea). This doesn’t mean you have to avoid eating peanut butter altogether, though. It just means you have to be mindful of the ingredient list.