"Beware: Xylitol Sugar Substitute May Harm Your Heart"

Cutting back on sugar can help reduce the risk of heart disease, but some sugar substitutes may increase it.

A study in the European Heart Journal linked higher xylitol levels to increased risks of heart attack, stroke, and death.

Over 3,000 participants, mostly with heart disease risk factors, were monitored for several years.

Those with the highest blood levels of xylitol had twice the risk of heart events compared to those with the lowest levels.

The study suggested xylitol should be considered a heart disease risk factor, similar to cholesterol.

Xylitol and erythritol, another sugar substitute, have been linked to higher heart event risks in recent studies.

The American Heart Association advises avoiding sugar but does not specifically address xylitol, recommending low-calorie or no-calorie options instead.