The Deadly Truth About This “Healthy” Sugar
I’ve warned you about the dangers lurking in artificial sweeteners for years.
But they just keep getting more popular despite the risk and are sneaking into all kinds of “health” products.
Well, it looks like I was on the right track all along.
New research from the Cleveland Clinic proves that one of the trendiest sugar substitutes out there may not be so harmless after all…
Xylitol is a sugar alcohol often touted as a natural alternative to sugar. You’ve probably seen it in sugar-free gum, baked goods, and even toothpaste. Food makers push it as a guilt-free choice for weight and blood sugar management.
However, according to a groundbreaking study, consuming high levels of this so-called “healthy” sweetener could send your risk of heart attack and stroke skyrocketing by 33 percent!
The researchers analyzed data from over 3,000 U.S. and European patients. They found that folks with the highest blood levels of xylitol were a whopping 33 percent more likely to experience a major cardiovascular event within three years.
Why? Lab tests revealed that xylitol causes blood platelets to become extra reactive. And that excessive clotting activity is a recipe for heart attacks and strokes.
In fact, when participants in a clinical trial drank a xylitol-sweetened beverage, their platelet reactivity increased immediately compared to the glucose group.
As the researchers note, this is a big red flag that we need to seriously investigate the safety of these sugar substitutes, especially with how aggressively they’re being promoted for obesity and diabetes.
Now, this isn’t cause to panic if your toothpaste contains a little xylitol. But regularly consuming products with high doses could put your heart in serious jeopardy.
So, stick to my #1 sweetener rule—keep it natural. A little raw honey or pure maple syrup is still your best bet. Mother Nature knows what she’s doing!
But even better, avoid the sweet stuff altogether as often as possible.
P.S. Still using artificial sweeteners? You’ll want to give fake sugars the boot when you SEE THIS.
Source:
Witkowski, M., Nemet, I., Li, X. S., Wilcox, J., Ferrell, M., Alamri, H., Gupta, N., Wang, Z., Tang, W. H., & Hazen, S. L. Xylitol is prothrombotic and associated with cardiovascular risk. European Heart Journal.
