Xlear - Spry Spearmint Gum Review

Spry Gum is the only gum I have found in the U.S. that is sugar free, yet does not contain Aspertame.  The gum is sweetened strictly with Xylitol.

Studies have shown that Xylitol helps prevent cavities, not just by depriving bacteria of sugar (like most sugar substitutes)...but also by "fooling" the bactertia.  The bacteria gobble the Xylitol up and starve in the process. 

So far Xylitol has not been shown to cause any long-term health risks, either...unlike Aspertame.

And Xylitol tastes almost exactly like sugar!  (With no weird aftertaste.)

These are the "plusses" of Spry gum.

I didn't give the gum 5 stars because it does have a couple of down-sides...

Mainly, the sweetness doesn't last long.  This is probably because it is sweetened only with Xylitol.  Apparently Xylitol "washes away" quickly.  I've never noticed that when I've used Xylitol to sweeten cocoa...probably because the Xylitol is evenly distributed in the cocoa, so the sweetness is "added anew" with each sip.  However, a person keeps chewing the same piece of gum for at least a few minutes, so the initial punch of sweetness is all you get.  I love the idea of gum that is sweetened only with Xylitol, but evidently Xylitol is not the marathon runner you need to sweeten gum.

Another downside of Xylitol is that it can cause diarrhea if you over-consume it.  Personally, I am used to Xylitol and it does not affect me, but I do know that it can give a person "the trots".

Also...keep all Xylitol products out of the reach of dogs, as it it toxic to dogs.

All in all I think Spry deserves 4 stars.  The gum is delicious, but it does lose its sweetness within just a minute or two.