When we share dessert recipes, many of them will tell you to use whatever sweetener you like. New research may have you avoiding erythritol.
The sugar alcohol is viewed as guilt-free and can be used in baking. It’s also often found in products like energy drinks and protein bars. It’s often praised for being natural, unlike many other sugar alternatives.
But, work at the Univ. of Colorado Boulder found that erythritol may increase the risk of blood clots in the brain that can cause strokes. Their study appears to confirm work from 2023 that linked high blood levels of erythritol to raised levels of heart attacks or strokes within three years.
Study coauthor Christopher DeSouza, the director of CU Boulder’s Integrative Vascular Biology Lab, said that as both studies found erythritol caused heart risks, “we believe it would be prudent for people to monitor their consumption of non-nutrient-sweeteners such as this one.”
The potential danger was originally discovered accidentally. Dr. Stanley Hazen at the Cleveland Clinic was scanning blood for chemical compounds to try to predict heart problems or death. Erythritol kept coming up on the list.
“Big picture, if your vessels are more constricted and your ability to break down blood clots is lowered, your risk of stroke goes up,” said graduate student Auburn Berry. “Our research demonstrates not only that, but how erythritol has the potential to increase stroke risk.”
The FDA classifies erythritol as “Generally Recognized as Safe”. Because of that, food labels don’t have to disclose how much erythritol is in something. It is frequently used to bulk out sweeteners. Many sweeteners are much more intensely sweet than sugar. Erythritol is often used to cut those sweeteners when they are sold as ingredients. Most monk fruit sweeteners are 99 percent erythritol and one percent monk fruit.
While there have now been two studies, more research is needed. The first study looked at human subjects. This one used cell experiments rather than human trials. Additionally, the body makes erythritol in the liver, kidneys and red blood cells. So, while the researchers may know that high levels of the sugar alcohol are potentially bad for heart health, we don’t know if that’s when it comes from dietary sources or when it’s from within. Human experiments are needed to see what the risks are in a real-world diet.
In the meantime, we always advise treating desserts and sweets as occasional indulgences rather than a daily part of your diet. That way, you can enjoy them and still reach your goals.
