Dulcite

/ˈdʌlsaɪt/ noun

Definition

A naturally occurring sugar alcohol found in various plants, also known as xylitol, that tastes sweet but has fewer calories than regular sugar.

Etymology

From Latin 'dulcis' (sweet) + the chemical suffix '-ite' indicating a compound. The term emerged in 19th-century chemistry as scientists identified sweet-tasting substances in plant sources.

Kelly Says

Dulcite was one of the first artificial sweeteners to be discovered in nature before chemists could synthesize them in labs—it's literally sugar's lower-calorie cousin that plants make themselves!

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