It's about as far from raw and natural as you can get. It's a sugar alcohol previously made from birch bark, now made from corn. It is legally allowed by the FDA to say it facilitates remineralization because people replace high processed sugar foods with it, meaning less decay. So it's not that it does anything, more that it replaces something that causes a problem.

A quick look at Wikipedia shows that it can kill dogs that eat just 5-6 cookies made with it, but people can 'tolerate' higher amounts than dogs.

Doesn't sound that healthy to me.

Oh... they are say it has a laxative effect at high levels! It reminds me of the fake fat potato chips that had to have a warning label on them about something I won't mention here. 

yikes!!!

I got that info from the bodyecology site.... you know that lady that looks so young and is into fermented food (yuck).  not very well-researched site if it gives out such misinformation. 

I'd  love to be able to have huge amounts of sleep and massive amounts of fruit in season and to swim in natural springs...etc.... sigh.
....but even a life of hard work and night's of disturbed sleep due to young children - has its rewards.