Why You Should Reconsider Erythritol as a Sweetener

I just had to get this blog out right away. It just came to my attention that there was a study published in Nature Medicine back in February 2023. The study found a possible correlation between blood clots, heart attacks, and strokes. Erythritol, a sugar alcohol used as a sweetener, was involved.

I used monk fruit sweetener mixed with erythritol, as a sugar substitute. I didn’t think much about it because my local health food store recommended it. I’d looked up monk fruit sweetener, and nothing about it made me concerned. The one thing I neglected to do was to do some research on erythritol. To be fair to myself, I did trust the recommendation from the health food store.

I had been ingesting this possible poison for about a year. Luckily, I don’t eat a lot of it, but I have used it in baking and in my herbal tea.

WHY I AM CONCERNED

They say, “The study has several limitations, including that clinical observation studies demonstrate association and not causation.” I am pretty sure all the “studies” needed to fully confirm this won’t occur soon. As far as I am concerned, there is enough information in this study. I will not be eating or drinking anything that contains erythritol again.

Most people who eat monk fruit, stevia, or Splenda have some kind of health issue. This is the sad thing. This could add fuel to the fire for those dealing with health issues. Many people on the KETO diet use alternative sweeteners. Diabetics also use them. Those on a candida diet and anyone wanting to lose weight opt for alternative sweeteners, too. Keep in mind that organic monk fruit or stevia by themselves don’t pose any problems that I know of. It’s the erythritol that is the issue. It’s very difficult to find monk fruit in the store without erythritol, but they do sell it. I don’t eat Splenda, but some brands contain erythritol, too.

It makes me wonder how many people have already had heart attacks, blood clots, or strokes because of this product. If this has happened, I doubt doctors and surgeons would connect the dots. Sugar alcohols fall under the GRAS (generally reconized as safe) category. These ingredients do not require pre-market review by the FDA. It also means food makers don’t have to list erythritol on product nutrition labels. You will need to look for “sugar alcohol” on the label to know if it is in a product.

SUMMARY

I don’t think they will be warning the general public any time soon about erythritol. I personally just happened to run across this study by accident looking up something else. As far as I am concerned, this particular study was enough for me to stop using erythritol right away. Hopefully, this blog will help you to make an informative decision of whether you will consume erythritol or not. I have been using erythritol as a sugar substitute for about a year. I am just now finding out about this study. Thankfully, I don’t consume a lot of it, and I don’t think I’m in any real danger as a result. This stuff is in a lot of products. It would be nice if the food industry made it clear to the public which of their products contain erythritol. I also believe that the government needs to take a closer look at this issue. They should give clear guidance to the public about whether they should be using it.

I have made my decision to no longer use erythritol and I have stopped eating and drinking it. I felt it was important to inform my readers of what I have learned about this particular substance. Now you know too. You can make your own decision to eat or not eat it. At least you now have the information you need to decide.