ARTIFICIAL SWEETENER LINKED TO HIGH RISK OF STROKES, HEART ATTACKS
By Miriam Raftery
Photo by Thomas Kniess, CC 4.0 via Wikipedia
March 6, 2023 (San Diego) – Erythritol, an artificial sweetener, substantially increases the risk of death from heart attacks and strokes caused by blood clots, according to a study by the Cleveland Clinic’s Lerner Research Institute published in the journal Nature Medicine.
Erythritol is not required to be listed on food labels, so consumers may not be aware when they are choosing products that contain it. It’s used as a sugar replacement and is also added to bulk up stevia and monkfruit, two other sweeteners. It’s been found in high levels in some products for diabetics and in low-sugar keto products.
“The degree of risk was not modest,” said Dr. Stanley Hazen, lead author of the study and director of the Center for Cardiovascular Diagnostics and Prevention at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute.
Those with the highest levels of Erythritol in their blood and who had risk factors for heart disease, such as diabetes, were twice as likely to have a heart attack or stroke as those who had not consumed Erythritol, the study found.
Even in healthy people, the study found that consuming 30 grams of Erythritol jacked up blood levels of the substance by 1,00% percent, and that the levels remained above the thresholds that can increase blood clots for up to three days.
“This certainly sounds an alarm,” Dr. Andrew Freeman, director of cardiovascular prevention and wellness at National Jewish Health in Denver, told CNN. He suggests limited erythritol in people’s diets at least until further studies are done.
But Robert Rankin, executive director of an industry association, the Calorie Control Council, contends that the study results are contrary to past research showing reduced-calorie sweeteners to be safe, with regulatory permissions for their use in many countries, CNN reports.
So how can you avoid Erythritol, which looks and tastes like sugar, and may not be listed on food or beverage labels?
Sugar is one option. If you have want a sugar alternative, there are several natural alternatives.
One is Xylitol, or birch sugar. But this is a bad idea if you have pets, since even small amounts of Xylitol can be deadly if a dog ingests it. Xylitol can also have a laxative effect.
Another option is Agave, a plant-derived sweetener that tastes similar to honey. But it has a high fructose content, so it’s not the best option for diabetics or those on diets.
Coconut blossom sugar has a low glycemic index, so it might take more to produce sweetness.
Maple syrup has lower glycemic index than cane sugar, so can be a good alternative if you’re watching your blood sugar levels and is also very tasty, as anyone who enjoys maple syrup on pancakes can attest.
Avoid Truvia, Splenda, Stevia and Monk Fruit in the Raw, since these can contain Erythritol. However Stevia in the Raw does not contain Erythritol, according to a report published by in Green Matters.