Popular sugar substitute may harm brain and heart health (Erythritol)

Erythritol, a commonly used sugar substitute often marketed as "healthy," may impair blood vessel health by disrupting the brain's ability to produce a critical compound, according to new research. Erythritol is a low-calorie sugar substitute found in many sugar-free products, including energy drinks, snack foods and protein bars. Like other sugar alcohols, erythritol is popular because it does not affect blood glucose and insulin levels as much as sugar. However, previous research links consumption of erythritol to a higher risk of adverse cardiac events, including stroke. In a new study, researchers treated human cerebral microvascular endothelial cells—cells from the tiny...