While there are certain sugar substitutes used in baked goods and packaged treats at the supermarket to reduce sugar content, we still don’t know how these types of ingredients affect our long-term health. For example, aspartame has been classified as a “possibly carcinogenic” even though there is very little (if any) evidence linking this ingredient to a cancer diagnosis. Then there’s an ingredient like erythritol, which could put consumers at a higher risk of blood clots and therefore an increased risk of heart disease, according to a new study from the Cleveland Clinic.
According to the study published in the journal Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis and vascular biologyResearchers at the Cleveland Clinic examined 20 volunteers who experienced increased blood clot formation after consuming foods and beverages containing erythritol compared to consuming products containing normal glucose.
“This research raises concerns that a standard serving of a food or beverage sweetened with erythritol may acutely induce a direct clot-forming effect,” said study co-author WH Wilson Tang, MD, director of research in heart failure and heart transplant medicine at the Cleveland Clinic. “Erythritol and other sugar alcohols commonly used as sugar substitutes should be evaluated for potential long-term health effects – particularly if such effects are not seen with glucose itself.”
This study follows an earlier study published in Natural medicinewhich states that high levels of erythritol in the blood may increase a person’s risk of having a major heart attack during their lifetime. Another study also found that consumption of the widely used artificial sweetener xylitol also increases the risk of heart disease.
“Cardiovascular disease develops over time, and heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. We need to make sure that the foods we eat are not hidden factors,” said another study co-author, Stanley Hazen, MD, PhD, chief of the Division of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute and co-division chief of Preventive Cardiology.
Currently, erythritol is recognized as a “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) ingredient by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as well as the European Food Safety Authority. This study was relatively small, and there is still much to learn about the long-term effects of erythritol. Nevertheless, these researchers are calling on food regulators to re-evaluate the ingredient, which is commonly used in low-calorie, low-carb foods.
More information
We asked 3 chefs to name the best ice cream and they all said the same thing
I just found the only way I will ever fry an egg again (it’s not what I expected)
Tuscan chicken is the “most delicious” dinner ever, say everyone who has tried it
Sign up for The Kitchn’s daily newsletter to get our best recipes, posts and shopping tips in your inbox.
