Zero sugar (sugar-free) drinks that I chose for diet and health. However, research results have been announced that the artificial sweetener ‘erythritol’, which was used in drinks instead of sugar, increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke.
According to Forbes, an American business magazine, on the 1st (local time), recently Dr. Stanley Hazen of the Cleveland Clinic Runner Institute in the United States published an international journal ‘Nature Medicine’ that people with heart disease risk factors have a high blood erythritol level at a high risk of heart attack or stroke. announced a two-fold increase.
To verify this, the research team analyzed the blood of more than 2,100 Americans and 833 people collected in Europe by 2018. As a result, high blood erythritol levels in all groups were associated with a risk of heart attack, stroke, and death within three years. figured out
In addition, the research team also found that erythritol increases thrombosis or induces blood coagulation through animal experiments. Caution is required because a blood clot can break off and travel to the heart via the blood vessels, causing a heart attack, while flowing to the brain can cause a stroke.
Erythritol is a type of ‘sugar alcohol’, a compound derived from sugars. Sugar alcohols are soluble in water and have a sweet taste. In particular, erythritol obtained by fermenting corn has the advantage of having a refreshing taste while having only 70 to 80% sweetness of sugar alcohol. It is known that most of them are excreted out of the body without being used as an energy source in the body.
“There is enough data to tell people who are at risk of blood clots, heart attack or stroke, such as those who already have heart disease or diabetes, to stay away from erythritol until further research results are available,” Dr. Hazen said.
However, Professor Oliver Jones of RMIT University in Australia, who was not involved in the study, pointed out that “while the research team found a link between erythritol and blood clotting, this is not conclusive evidence that such a link exists.”
On the other hand, there is a ‘zero sugar’ boom among MZ generation consumers these days. As ‘Healthy Pleasure’, which means ‘taking care of health happily’ has become a trend among MZ consumers who value health, more and more people are consuming zero drinks with low sugar and calories. Representatively, there are Zero Coke, Zero Sprite, and Zero Sugar Soju, which was born last year and is gaining great popularity.
But the idea that zero products are better for your health remains to be seen. A previously published study also revealed that erythritol, which is used in zero products, can cause problems with cardiovascular disease, and a research team led by Professor Katy Page at the University of Southern California explained that “artificial sweeteners used in zero-calorie drinks induce hunger and stimulate appetite.” did. In addition, there is a claim that dieting is difficult due to a decrease in the level of hormones that convey a sense of fullness due to addiction to sweetness, so it is expected that we will have to watch a little more to connect zero products with health.
※Weekly Chosun online article.