Popular Sugar Substitute Linked to Higher Risk of Stroke

Erythritol is found in a large number of products such as candy, sugar-free gum, soft drinks, mouthwash, ice cream, protein bars, and more.

Shoppers in a Kroger supermarket in Atlanta on Oct. 14, 2022. Elijah Nouvelage/AFP via Getty Images

A widely used sugar substitute found in some sugar-free and low-calorie foods may not be as benign as previously thought, according to a new study.

Small amounts of erythritol, which was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2001, may damage brain blood vessel cells and could lead to a higher chance of stroke, researchers from the University of Colorado said in a news release.