A study by French researchers has established that artificial sweeteners increase the risk of heart strokes. As part of a study, they tracked 103,000 adults for nine years and found that people who consumed calorie-free sweeteners every day had a nine percent higher risk of heart disease. (udenar.edu.co)
Let’s understand this in a better way
The first diet sodas were sweetened by artificial sweeteners known as cyclamates, which are now banned in the United States. Now the five “non-nutritive” artificial sweeteners used in diet soda production are saccharin, acesulfame, aspartame, neotame, and sucralose.
The chances of suffering a stroke rose for those who ate or drank aspartame, an ingredient used in low-sugar fizzy drinks. Reportedly, they were found to be 23 percent more likely to have a stroke. The participants consumed an average of 43mg of sweeteners a day, the equivalent of one packet of tabletop sweetener or 100ml of diet soda.
“These drinks are not a healthy and safe alternative to sugar”: Study
The latest research published in the British Medical Journal proves the need to cut back on the consumption of diet drinks and foods. The study says, “these food additives, consumed daily by millions of people and present in thousands of foods and drinks, should not be considered a healthy and safe alternative to sugar.”
Experts believe that sweeteners can hinder the body’s ability to tolerate glucose, interfere with levels of hormones such as insulin and reduce the health of the gut microbiome. The World Health Organisation is also evaluating these chemicals to gain a better understanding.
Apart from this study, a published paper from the Boston University School of Medicine suggests that people who consume a large quantity of artificially sweetened soft drinks may be up to three times more likely to suffer from a stroke or dementia.
It is wise to swap fizzy drinks for water and eat more heart-healthy foods, like lentils, nuts and seeds, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.