The “Healthy” Sweetener Linked to Stroke Risk?

Dear Reader,

For years, the mainstream has told us that sugar substitutes are the best way to avoid diabetes and heart disease.

Cut the sugar. Swap in an artificial sweetener. Enjoy your favorite foods guilt-free.

Now we know this is just another one of their LIES.

New research suggests one of these “healthy” sweeteners is damaging your blood vessels and increasing your stroke risk.

And it could be in your pantry right now.

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I’m talking about erythritol.

This sugar alcohol has exploded in popularity because it doesn’t raise blood sugar the way regular sugar does.

That’s made it a favorite among food manufacturers selling products to diabetics, keto dieters, and health-conscious consumers.

But researchers at the University of Colorado recently uncovered some troubling findings.

They exposed cells from the blood-brain barrier — the brain’s protective security system — to levels of erythritol similar to what a person might consume from a sweetened beverage.

And what happened next raised serious concerns.

The erythritol triggered oxidative stress, flooding cells with damaging free radicals while weakening the cells’ natural antioxidant defenses.

Even worse, it disrupted one of the body’s most important blood-vessel control systems.

Researchers found erythritol reduced production of nitric oxide — a molecule that helps blood vessels relax and stay healthy.

At the same time, it increased endothelin-1, a compound that causes blood vessels to constrict.

That’s a dangerous combination.

Less nitric oxide. More constriction. Reduced blood flow. And potentially a higher risk of the type of stroke caused by blood clots.

But the bad news didn’t stop there.

The researchers also found evidence that erythritol may interfere with the body’s natural clot-busting mechanisms.

Normally, your body releases substances that help dissolve dangerous clots before they become life-threatening.

Erythritol appeared to weaken that protective response.

Now, to be fair, this was a laboratory study — not a clinical trial in humans.

But it adds to a growing body of evidence that has already linked higher erythritol levels to increased risks of heart attacks and strokes.

In one large observational study, people with the highest blood levels of erythritol were roughly twice as likely to experience a major cardiovascular event.

This is exactly why I prefer real food over laboratory-created “health foods.”

The mainstream keeps replacing one processed ingredient with another.

Sugar becomes artificial sweeteners. Butter becomes margarine. Real food becomes engineered food products.

Then years later, we discover the replacement may have created its own set of problems.

If you want to satisfy a sweet tooth, focus on whole-food options whenever possible.

Fruit. Berries. And occasional natural sweeteners used sparingly.

Because when a product needs a chemistry degree to understand the ingredient label…

It’s probably not something your body evolved to eat.

View Sources

Liu, Y., Maher, B. S., Spira, A. P., & colleagues. (2026). Rest-activity rhythm characteristics are associated with biological aging in older adults. Journal of Applied Physiology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00276.2025