Popular artificial sweetener linked to potentially dangerous heart risk

People who consume greater amounts of a popular artificial sweetener could face a greater risk of heart attack and stroke, a new study suggests.

The research, which was presented at the ESC Cardiology Congress in Germany this week, showed that higher levels of xylitol in the blood were associated with an increased risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE).

Xylitol is a sugar alcohol that is commonly used as a low-calorie sweetener and sugar substitute, according to the National Institutes of Health.