Sometimes, what happens is exactly the opposite of what you do because you don’t happen. Take the case of the sweetening. We choose to take foods that contain them by avoiding sugar instead to limit the effect of cardiovascular risk factors, such as the overweight or a possible diabetes. And we find ourselves analyzing scientific studies that somehow hypothesize a greater risk of meeting infarction and stroke in those who regularly consume products of this type. In short, there is a risk that the patch is worse than the hole.
In reality, those who deal with power reports that at the base of everything there is the need to limit simple sugars And to get used to less sweet foods, rather than checking exclusively calories and therefore only rely on them in the choice of food. But more generally, what matters is to change the habits and perceptions that make us seek too often the dessert.
The World Health Organization must be remembered, advises not to exceed 10 percent of total calories through the consumption of sugars. A Excessive consumption of sucrosethe constituent of sugar, in fact increases the risk of obesity and overweight. For this reason, artificial sweeteners are often used, which ensure a high also because the scientific evidence of a potential association over time between high consumption of some sweeteners and greater risk of heart attack and stroke increase.
Aspartame and risk of heart attack and stroke in the animal
The latest experimental research that associates the consumption of sweeteners, and in particular aspartamewith a higher risk of heart attack and stroke was published on Cell Metabolism and was conducted in the laboratory by the experts of the Karolinska Institute coordinated by Yihai Cao. The study examined a population of mice particularly predisposed to develop Cardiovascular pathologies. For three months the animals were nourished with food containing different quantities of aspartame: the maximum dose was similarly similar to what a man can take on three cans per day of drinks with the sweetener. After 12 weeks of observation, the state of health of these animals was compared (we remember, genetically predisposed to a greater risk of cardiovascular events) with that of control animals. Result: in the mice exposed to aspartame there was a significant increase in the inflammation parameters, associated with one greater insulin production Indeed by the excess of sweetening in the food and consequent insulin peaks, as well as the lesions typical of the atherosclerosis within the arteries. Not only that. It has been seen that in the event of exposure to the sweetener, the values of the CX3CL1 protein increases which would have a favoring action on the formation of atherosclerotic plates, with consequent greater risk (in case of plaque breakage) to develop heart attacks or strokes.
Attention to Eritritolo
In this case we are talking about another sweetener who works as a substitute for sugar. It is part of the so -called Polialcoli. It is classified as food additive and can also be found with the acronym E968. It is a natural product that is in fact obtained from Bacterial fermentation of fruit and vegetables. An observational study coordinated by Stanley Hazen of the New Cleveland Clinic and published in Nature Medicine has proposed the hypothesis that the consumption of this substance over time can be associated (therefore it does not speak to us of a cause-effect relationship) to a greater risk of heart attack or stroke.
The research also emerges a possible action on the mechanisms that control coagulation in healthy volunteers. Be clear. These are not definitive observations and we are waiting for further studies to better clarify the situation. In any case, the study is extremely interesting. Considering over 1000 people with cardiovascular diseases, therefore by definition more exposed to events, in the years of observation who had higher blood levels of sweetenings, and in particular of erythytalpresented a higher risk to develop greater cardiovascular adverse events such as heart attack or stroke. Not only that. As mentioned, on healthy volunteers there has been a possible action of coagulation by the substance, which is part of the family in which very used compounds are also included such as xylitol.
Should not be exaggerated
The attention of science on the many sweeteners – there are really many and of the different type – is high. Pending a definition of the problem and further evidence from research, the advice remains to check not only the calories but also the sources from which they come to the body. At the table, precisely to satisfy the need for dessert, we tend to focus on foods and drinks that reduce the calories ingested because the traditional sucrose, the sugar to which we are inhabited are not resorted to. But attention to nutrition must be global, just as the entire dietary model must be considered, on the basis of Mediterranean nutrition habits. Let’s keep in mind.
