More bad news about artificial sweeteners

When Gwen Stefani croons “Sweet Escape” — “Woo hoo (I wanna get away) yee hoo (to our sweet escape)” — she’s hoping that will make her damaged relationship better. And when you opt for sweet escape by using artificial sweeteners, you’re hoping to dodge the damage you know added sugar can do to your health. Not really turning out like you hoped for …

Here’s another bit of bad news about the hazards of using sugar substitutes: Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic have found that consumption of erythritol — a common artificial sweetener used in prepared and “keto” foods — is associated with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Although they have not shown cause and effect, they did find that in the 4,000 people studied, those with higher blood erythritol levels were at a higher risk of having what they called “a major adverse cardiac event such as heart attack, stroke or death.” They then went to the lab and looked at how erythritol interacted with whole blood or isolated platelets and found that it promoted clot formation.

So, one more time: The best way to keep your heart healthy, your blood sugar levels normal and your sweet tooth happy is to stick with naturally sweet, whole fruit. Opt for two to three servings a day — and eliminate juices. If your diet must include erythritol, talk to your doctor about taking a low-dose aspirin a day with half a glass of warm water before and after.

Michael Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer emeritus at the Cleveland Clinic and author of four No. 1 New York Times bestsellers. His next book is “The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow.” Do you have a topic Dr. Mike should cover in a future column? If so, please email questions@GreatAgeReboot.com.