Sweeteners linked to heart disease in new study

Sign up to IndyEat's free newsletter for weekly recipes, foodie features and cookbook releases Get our food and drink newsletter for free Get our food and drink newsletter for free SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Researchers have identified a possible link between artificial sweeteners and heart disease in a new study, revealing that food additives “should not be considered a healthy and safe alternative to sugar”. A specific type of sweetener – aspartame – was associated with a 17 per cent increased risk of cerebrovascular events, while acesulfame potassium and sucralose were associated with increased coronary heart disease risk. “In this large-scale, prospective cohort of French adults, artificial sweeteners were associated with increased risk of cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and coronary heart diseases,” the authors wrote. “The findings indicate that these food additives, consumed daily by millions of people and present in thousands of foods and beverages, should not be considered a healthy and safe alternative to sugar, in line with the current position of several health agencies.” Commenting on the study, Tracy Parker, senior dietitian at the British Heart Foundation, said: “Observational studies like these can only show an association, and more research is needed to understand the links between artificial sweeteners and the risk of developing heart and circulatory diseases.