“Sucre”, “Light”, “lightened” … These words that are invited to our labels give us good conscience to each bite. But under this promise of zero guilt pleasure sometimes hides a much less nice guest. I named, erythritol.
Naturally present in certain fruits, this sweetener has everything a good student. No calorie and no effect on blood sugar. But a recent American study comes to spoil everything: this “natural” ingredient, very popular in diets, could actually Increase the risk of stroke.
When “zero calorie” becomes a real problem
Scientists from the University of Colorado in Boulder have exposed brain cells to erythritol for three short hours. Not a cure. Just a dose equivalent to that of a “sugar” drink. Result: this short exposure was enough to stress the cells.
The cells in question? Those who regulate blood flow and prevent clots. Under the effect of the sweetener, they saw their production of nitric oxide (a molecule that relaxes blood vessels) drop by 20 %. The vessels contract, traffic slows down, and Risk of stroke climbing.
Grapes, melon, pear: these fruits that naturally contain them
If erythritol is often added to “sugar -free” products, it is also present in the natural state in certain fruits. The grape contains in small quantities, especially when ripe. The melon, in particular Cantaloup, also contains small traces of this sweetener, just like the pear, especially in its sweetest varieties.
In itself, their consumption is not problematic: these are natural and very moderate doses. What worries is not the whole fruit sketched in summer, but the way in which this ingredient is isolated and then concentrated in processed products (drinks, “light” yogurts, dietary pastries) to the point of go beyond the usual physiological thresholds.
