Xylitol is also known as birch sugar or wood sugar. 
Xylitol is a natural sugar alcohol found in plants, including many fruits and vegetables. It has a sweet taste and is often used as a sugar substitute. Xylitol tastes sweet but, unlike sugar, it doesn't cause tooth decay.
 
Xylitol
What it is
A sugar alcohol that's colorless or white and crystalline
How it's used
A one-to-one replacement for sugar in recipes
Where it comes from
Naturally found in fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, and oats, or processed from trees or xylan plant fiber
Taste
About as sweet as sugar, but with half the calories
Health benefits
May reduce plaque formation, inhibit enamel demineralization, and improve digestive health