PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Americans have been advised to reduce sugar in their diet for many years. At the same time, so-called sugar-free products, which use sugar substitutes, have been successfully marketed as a way to achieve similar tastes without the calories.
However, researchers have learned sugar substitutes can be harmful. The latest information focuses on xylitol, and according to the European Heart Journal, this chemical dramatically alters platelets to form clots and increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Xylitol can be found as a sugar substitute in products like sugar-free gum, baked goods, and candy.
Get more medical reports from Dr. Brian McDonough.
KYW Newsradio's Medical Reports are sponsored by Independence Blue Cross.'
