Sugar is bad. Necessarily so. This happens to be the mainstream perspective doing the rounds of health circles for years now.
While this may sound like an extreme statement, people have increasingly been gravitating towards natural alternatives, opting to consciously abstain from refined white sugar. Top picks in this regard have been monk fruit sugar and stevia, among other options, which have taken the markets by storm. Their growing popularity is not unfounded.
As per a Healthline report, monk fruit sugar extract is 150 to 200 times sweeter than sugar and has zero calories, carbohydrates, sodium or fat. Additionally, they don't impact blood sugar levels. The same report asserts how stevia, made from an extract of the stevia plant, is 200 to 300 times sweeter than sugar and is exceptionally low in calories, also not seriously impacting blood sugar.
From the perspective of those prudent about their calorie intake and weight, these options seem like absolute winners, and they have been so, for years now. But what if we were to say monk fruit sugar and stevia could potentially cause much serious health complications in the future? For context, erythritol, an artificial sweetener, is used to add bulk to both stevia and monk fruit sugar. Additionally, it is also a popular pick to add sweetness to low-carb keto treats.
As per a study conducted by the Center for Cardiovascular Diagnostics and Prevention at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute, erythritol, and by proxy mo.