The Aesthetics Advisor

The safety of artificial sweeteners has long stirred a heated debate. Several studies have shown that artificial sweeteners can increase the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Experts advise choosing natural sugars whenever possible, while individuals with diabetes may want to consider xylitol. Artificial sweeteners are used in food processing and beverages to replace real sugar. Common sugar substitutes include aspartame, saccharin, erythritol, neotame, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, cyclamate, tagatose, stevia, and derivatives. Increased Risk of Cerebrovascular and Cardiovascular Events In February, researchers from the Cleveland Clinic published  a study  in the renowned journal Nature Medicine. They examined over  4,000 individuals  from the United States and Europe and found that those with higher levels of erythritol in their blood had an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, or death. Furthermore, erythritol was found to induce blood clot formati...

Neotame, an artificial sweetener that’s chemically similar to aspartame, 1   may seriously damage the human intestine and overall gut health. 2   Sometimes listed on food ingredient labels as E961, neotame is a relative newcomer to the artificial sweetener market, despite well-known health concerns, is expected to reach a global market value of $3 billion by the end of 2025. 3 Neotame, developed in 2002 as an alternative to aspartame, is up to 13,000 times sweeter than sugar 4  and widely used in drinks, sauces, sweets, savory foods and chewing gum. Yet, “Despite widespread global use of neotame, there are surprisingly few research studies on the biological and physiological effects of the sweetener,” researchers wrote in Frontiers in Nutrition. 5 The team, from Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, England, found neotame poses serious risks to gut health, including causing healthy gut bacteria to become diseased. 6 Neotame M...