Ok. So I'm playing guinea pig at the moment. I've been strict on the diet for a while, and I wanted to see what all the hype is about this product.

The first thing I learned is that it is EXPENSIVE. I paid $12.00 Canadian for a bag of it. But, like many of you, I'm willing to spend whatever on something if it actually works.

The second thing I learned is that it tasted really good, which of course set off alarm bells.

The third thing I noticed was that it didn't cause any symptoms. Unlike sugar and splenda which gives me a head ache and gut rot, I didn't flinch after using it. Cool, I thought.

Then a couple of days later I woke up with a serious rash covering my entire face and neck. Crap. But was it the xylitol? Not sure.

The rash cleared up. Tried the xylitol again. No symptoms. Cool. A few days later, same thing: a rash on my face. Crap!

So it was time to do detective work. I usually get a rash when I come into surface contact with something I am allergic to (like pine trees). I sometimes get a rash that looks like a breakout when I eat too much sugar, but this rash was extreme (and embarrassing).

I hadn't changed soaps or detergents. I decided to wash my pillow cases, pillows and sheets since these are the things that come into contact with my face. Ok. Environment cleared.

I looked up the company who made the xylitol since they didn't print on the package what they made their product from (there are 3 or 4 different versions). Mine was made from 100% corn husks. Ok. So we know that corn is a no no, but over the years I've found that I can eat organic corn chips with no backlash. Weird. Perhaps because it is concentrated?

The only other possible trigger would have been that I was VERY stressed out on the days I got the rash.

My plan is to wait until the rash is completely gone. I will also wait until I am having a completely zen day. I will eat only "Dan-friendly" foods and try the xylitol one more time. If I get the rash, I know it's the xylitol.

Even if it is the xylitol, I am curious to know if the product made from birch bark would have the same outcome.

I'll keep you posted.