In a study published in the European Heart Journal, Cleveland Clinic researchers report that higher amounts of xylitol, artificial sweetener known as sugar alcohol, can increase risk of heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular events.
The researchers said they found the associations in a large-scale patient analysis. Xylitol is a lower-calorie sugar substitute with a low glycemic index. Sugar alcohols are carbohydrates that don’t actually contain alcohol.
Xylitol occurs naturally in small amounts in fibrous fruits and vegetables, corn cobs, trees, and the human body. It’s used as a sugar substitute because its taste is comparable to sugar but has fewer calories. Xylitol is found in many products, ranging from sugar-free candy and gum to toothpaste.
