Should You Be Worried About Erythritol? Here’s What to Know

Erythritol has become a go-to sweetener in everything from low-sugar protein bars and drinks to keto-friendly desserts. It provides sweetness with very few calories and little effect on blood sugar, which can make it an appealing alternative to regular sugar.

But erythritol has also been making headlines for a less appealing reason: several studies have raised questions about its potential connection to cardiovascular health.

So, should you stop eating it? The answer isn’t that simple.

What the Latest Research Found

New research covered by Newsweek found an association between higher levels of erythritol in the blood and a greater risk of heart attack and stroke.

That’s certainly something worth paying attention to, but it doesn’t prove that eating erythritol caused those cardiovascular events.

One reason is that erythritol isn’t only something we consume. The body can also produce it naturally, and blood levels may be influenced by underlying metabolic health.

That makes the findings harder to interpret. Higher erythritol levels could potentially be contributing to cardiovascular risk, reflecting health problems that were already present, or some combination of the two.

Why Researchers Are Still Paying Attention

The concern isn’t based on an association alone.

Previous research has raised questions about whether high amounts of erythritol could affect platelet activity and blood clot formation, which gives scientists a plausible reason to keep investigating its potential cardiovascular effects.

But there are still important unanswered questions, including how much dietary erythritol would be needed to create a meaningful risk and whether occasional consumption has the same implications as consuming large amounts regularly.

In other words, there’s enough evidence to keep studying erythritol, but not enough to say that having a protein bar sweetened with it is putting your heart in danger.

So, Should You Avoid Erythritol?

You probably don’t need to clear every erythritol-containing food out of your pantry.

But it’s worth paying attention to how much you’re getting, especially because erythritol can show up in several foods you might eat in the same day. Protein bars, low-carb snacks, sugar-free desserts, drink mixes, and other products can all contain it.

If one of those foods occasionally contains erythritol, that’s very different from relying on multiple erythritol-sweetened products every day.

It’s also a good reminder that “sugar-free” doesn’t automatically mean healthier. When you’re choosing a packaged food, look beyond the sweetener and consider the rest of the nutrition profile, including fiber, protein, saturated fat, sodium, and the overall ingredient list.

And if you have cardiovascular disease or significant heart-health risk factors and consume erythritol regularly, it’s reasonable to talk with your doctor or dietitian about whether it makes sense for you.

The Bottom Line

There’s still a lot we don’t know about erythritol and heart health. The current research raises legitimate questions, but it doesn’t establish that occasionally eating erythritol causes heart attacks or strokes.

For now, moderation makes more sense than panic.

You don’t necessarily need to avoid erythritol altogether. But if sugar substitutes make up a significant part of your daily diet, checking how often you’re consuming them — and varying how you satisfy your sweet tooth — is a reasonable place to start.