A new study found that a popular zero-calorie sweetener is linked to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.
A sugar replacement called erythritol is mixed into popular sweeteners like stevia and truvia, and can be found in a range of foods and drinks.
“It’s about 70% as sweet as sugar. So, you’re getting almost the same amount of sweetness with less calories,” said Trey Smith, owner of Smith Advanced Nutrition Enterprise.
Smith is a certified dietitian who works with military personnel and civilians on improving their nutrition. He said erythritol has rapidly grown in popularity in recent years, especially in keto products.
“One of the things I do is I talk about supplementation. As I'm looking at some of the things that we give our guys here, one of the things is a Quest protein bar which contains erythritol,” said Smith.
Products containing erythritol are often recommended for people who are at a higher risk for heart disease, and who are looking for options to help manage their sugar or calorie intake.
A new study published in Nature Medicine found that people with higher levels of erythritol in their blood were at elevated risk of experiencing a heart attack, stroke or death. Research showed that erythritol appears to be causing blood platelets to clot more easily.
“We worry about it blocking off an artery in the heart or blood clots that can travel to the brain and cause a stroke. You don’t want random blood clots happening,” said Dr. Angela Turner, a general cardiologist at Bayfront Health St. Petersburg.
Experts said more research is needed, but there are healthy alternatives like honey.
“A little packet of [erythritol] in their coffee in the morning, it may not be that worrisome, but if you’re using large amounts in recipes, or you’re finding yourself using a lot of this on a regular basis, it may be time to reduce that,” said Dr. Turner.
Doctors said if you use erythritol, don’t panic, but you should try to reduce artificial sugar and table sugar in your diet until more research is done.
