They have become a substitute for sugar and today they are one of the most used ingredients in products that are marketed with the light or low-calorie label.
Although, as explained by the nutritionist Elena de la Fuente“it is recommended that they be consumed in a timely and moderate manner.”
They provide a sweet flavor, but they do not always have to have a low caloric value.
And, there are two main types of sweeteners:
- caloric, They have no effect on our body as long as they are ingested in moderate amounts
- Polyalcohols, biochemicals that are used in products such as jam. Within this group we find xylitol, sorbitol, maltitol or erythritol.
Erythritol, more risk than solution?
The scientific journal has just published new research in which it links the consumption of a sweetener, erythritol, with heart attacks and cerebrovascular events, such as myocardial infarction and stroke. ictus.
This research, which has been led by , from Ohio, in the United States, has been carried out on more than 4,000 people, both in America and Europe.
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And the study has shown that people who have higher levels of erythritol in their blood have a higher risk of suffering a serious adverse cardiac event.
The researchers, coordinated by marco wittkowskiof the Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences at the Cleveland Clinic, point out that “artificial sweeteners, such as erythritol, are widely used sugar substitutes, but little is known about their long-term effects such as the risks of cardiometabolic diseases.”
Erythritol: present in fruits and vegetables
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends reducing the daily consumption of free sugars to less than 10% of total daily calories in both adults and children .
However, specialists advise that they be less than 5%, since it would have more health benefits.
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As for erythritol, we are talking about a sweetener that belongs to the group of polyalcohols, it is sweeter than the same sugar but with a lower caloric value.
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It is naturally present in some foods, such as fruits and vegetables, such as pears, grapes, melons, and it is also present in soy sauce, widely used in some dishes. .
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In the food industry it also has other uses as a flavor enhancer in light and sugar-free soft drinks.
But be careful, because these types of sweeteners can produce a laxative effect, and that is why products that contain at least 10% sweeteners, such as erythritol, must indicate this on their label.
The reason is that they are not absorbed in the intestine, but pass through it intact, which produces more water than normal, causing diarrhea or looser stools.
For this reason, those people with gastrointestinal problems, irritable colon or bacterial overgrowth should avoid eating these foods with polyalcohols to avoid aggravating the symptoms of these diseases.-
Clotting risks
stanley hazenlead author of the research published in Nature, notes that these sweeteners have become very fashionable in recent years, but their effects need further investigation.
Erythritol, which is used as a sugar substitute, is, like others, recommended for people with diabetes or metabolic syndrome with the aim of reducing caloric intake that may worsen their pathologies.
And here comes the problem, because these types of patients are already at greater risk of suffering cardiovascular diseases, and this can increase after the consumption of erythritol.
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“Our study shows that when participants consumed a beverage artificially sweetened with an amount of erythritol found in many processed foods, elevated blood levels were seen for days, increasing the risk of clotting.”
Therefore, researchers will conduct more studies to quantify the long-term effects of sweeteners such as erythritol and the risks of heart attack and stroke.