Tag: Birch

Historically, various cultures around the world have utilized the birch tree not just for its timber and bark but also for its nutritional and medicinal properties. In certain northern European traditions, birch was a staple food source, with its inner bark ground into flour for bread. But the question remains: is birch safe to eat, and how can one do so safely?

While the body produces small amounts of xylitol internally, naturally occurring concentrations in fruits like strawberries and vegetables such as cauliflower are too low for commercial extraction. For this reason, the bulk of commercially available xylitol that you encounter as a sugar substitute or in products is derived from larger, fibrous plant sources, which helps explain what is the best source of xylitol for industrial applications.