A food sweetener including xylitol and D-ribose, a method of forming the food sweetener, a food product that includes the food sweetener, and a method of forming the food product. The food sweetener may be formed to have a fixed shape by being heated at an elevated temperature followed by being cooled to the temperature of the ambient atmosphere. The food product may be formed by heating or cooling a mixture of ingredients which include the xylitol, the D-ribose, and at least one other ingredient that does not contain a sweetening agent.