Artificial Sweetener

Erythritol, a nonnutritive sweetener generally recognized as safe by the FDA, demonstrated fast-acting prothrombotic properties not observed with traditional glucose in a small study.

Xylitol consumption was associated with a higher risk for blood clotting, which could lead to a higher risk for myocardial infarction or stroke, according to a series of studies published this year.

Greater intake of ultraprocessed foods, like sugary drinks and ready-to-eat products, was associated with a slightly higher risk of all-cause mortality, according to results of a 30-study published in BMJ Open.

Adults who drank at least 2 L per week of sugar- or artificially sweetened beverages per week were more likely to develop atrial fibrillation during nearly 10 years of follow-up, independent of other traditional CV risk factors, data show.

Adults who consume non-sugar sweeteners have differences in gut and stool microbiome compositions compared with those who do not consume non-sugar sweeteners, according to study findings published in iScience.

Increased intake of ultraprocessed foods, especially artificially sweetened beverages and artificial sweeteners, was linked to a high risk for depression, according to the results of research published in JAMA Network Open.

Last month, WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer declared aspartame — a popular artificial sweetener that is used in products like soft drinks, chewing gum and ice cream — a potential carcinogen.

Postmenopausal women who consumed at least one sugar-sweetened soft drink per day had significantly higher incidence of liver cancer and chronic liver disease mortality, compared with those who drank no more than three beverages per month.

One of the most popular artificial sweeteners is a potential carcinogen and people should consume only 40 mg/kg body weight daily, according to WHO committees.

WHO has issued a new guideline recommending against the use of non-sugar sweeteners to lose weight, as available evidence suggests it “does not confer any long-term benefit in reducing body fat in adults or children,” the organization said.