Thanks, Herb, for your kind appreciation.

I fully agree with the points you raise. First, the dose makes the poison (or even the medicine, if you consider hormesis).

Second, the exposure to xylitol in oral hygiene products is alos quite possibly of no concern. The benefit-risk ratio is definitely in favor of Xylitol.

Third, about your concern about pediatric obesity and diabetes, and their prevalence in economically deprived populations: That is a view that completely escaped me, and where your reasoning is logical (I also like your criticism of the categorization into type 1 and type 2 DM; T1 being an autoimmune disease, T2 an “auto-behavioral” largely).

I’d like to mention, though, that artificial sweeteners in general do very little to reduce or prevent obesity. That’s why the WHO advises against this strategy. But your experience in the population under your care is more relevant than what the WHO says. Do you think that replacing sugar with Xylitol has a measurable positive health effect in obese children? If so, by all means, the answer is clear.