Sugar alcohols, a type of carbohydrate used as a sweetener, may elevate risk of heart attacks and strokes

Xylitol, a sugar alcohol, is sometimes added to foods at 1,000 times the level seen naturally in foods

This article covers the latest research in sugar alcohols and heart health. Some work indicates that after consuming sugar alcohols erythritol or xylitol people are at an elevated risk of developing blood clots, which can cause heart attacks and strokes. Both substances occur in low levels naturally in fruits and vegetables and are also produced by the human body, but as sweeteners in foods they are present at exponentially higher levels.

Fake sugars may disrupt metabolic health

Alternative sweeteners such as stevia and sucralose are 100 times sweeter than common table sugar. New research suggests these "high-intensity" sweeteners significantly disrupt the composition of the gut microbiome, affecting overall health. (Some users may encounter a paywall.)

Artificial sweeteners are considered safe for most people

These sugar substitutes are generally preferred because they are sweeter than sugar and can be used in smaller amounts while still getting a sugary taste. Though generally regarded as safe, sugar substitutes can cause flare-ups for individuals with bowel disease, and researchers are investigating how these substances affect gut microbiome health. Aspartame can also cause health issues for individuals with a rare genetic disease called phenylketonuria.

See how sugar stacks up against the sweetness of sugar alternatives

This US Food and Drug Administration graphic compares different approved sugar alternatives to give the public a sense of just how intensely sweet these sweeteners are compared to table sugar. Aspartame (NutraSweet and Equal), for example, is 200 times sweeter, Sucralose (Splenda) is 600 times sweeter, and Saccharin (Sweet'N Low) is between 200 and 700 times sweeter.

Multiple sugar substitutes were accidental discoveries when lab workers didn't wash their hands

Saccharin, aspartame, and cyclamate all have origin stories from lab workers tasting something sweet on their hands. A Johns Hopkins University worker in the late 1800s, for example, tasted something sweet on his (unwashed or poorly washed) hands during dinner, prompting him to then taste everything on his lab bench in order to identify that the sweetness was a compound derived from his overheated coal tar—a substance he later named saccharin. (Some users may encounter a paywall.)

Gummy vitamins have candy-level sugar—and that sweetness is linked to overdoses

A typical gummy vitamin contains about the same amount of sugar in a single serving as one Sour Patch candy. It's linked to the increase in pediatric overdoses for products including multivitamins and melatonin. Gummy formulations also degrade quickly, so they often include much higher levels of the product in each serving than the label advertises—boosting overdose risks due to this unchecked variability. (Some users may experience a paywall.)

Stevia is a plant-derived sweetener but the plant isn't approved for eating

Steviol glycosides, the sweet-tasting stuff in the plant leaves, are purified and highly processed before they end up in the food or drinks sold in stores. The US Food and Drug Administration does not allow the use of stevia leaf or crude stevia extracts in food, and the agency also bars them from being imported into the US for use as sweeteners.

See how much daily sugar substitute intake the FDA considers to be safe

The agency states in this PDF graphic that a person weighing about 132 pounds would have to consume roughly a couple dozen sweetener packets daily—or more—to reach unsafe levels of consumption. The accumulated consumption would be across all sources, including diet beverages, sugar-free candies, and actual packets added to coffee.

Saccharin was banned in Canada in the 1970s, but regulators may allow its use once again

The product, commonly known as Sweet'N Low, was banned in Canada in the late 1970s due to research indicating that the sweetener could cause cancer in lab rats. Subsequent studies have found that the rodent findings didn't hold true for humans, and so Canadian regulators state that they are considering updating their stance to allow the product to be added to certain foods (the product is currently allowed in the US).

The ancient Romans invented the first known artificial sweetener—it involved lead

The product was known as "sugar of lead." It was made by boiling wine in lead pots, concentrating the grapes' natural sugars and adding sweetness from the lead that leached into the grapes. The substance was used until roughly the 1880s for medicinal purposes and also to sweeten wine. (Some users may encounter a paywall.)

The myth of sugar rushes vs. the reality of sugar crashes

It's generally accepted that sugar rushes are a myth, and that hyperactivity is a more psychological experience. However, there is real science behind the rare sugar crash that primarily impacts those with diabetes. Read this article to understand how historical and cultural factors have shaped sugar perceptions, and how low blood sugar can trigger shakiness, fatigue, weakness, and more in diabetes patients.

Unlike its Mexican counterpart, American Coca-Cola contains high-fructose corn syrup rather than sugar

There are a few reasons why American Coke turned away from sugar in the 1980s, but none of them are related to consumer health. This Reader's Digest article breaks down the history behind Coke's recipe change, explaining why the company continues using high-fructose cough syrup.

Sugar skulls are more than a sweet snack

The colorful candy combines Indigenous traditions with European confectionery techniques. Its symbolization reminds celebrants that death can be “sweet.”

The five most common chemicals found in modern food

Most modern processed foods rely on a number of preservatives to stay fresh from production to our plates. The most common include citric acid (preservative and flavor), sodium benzoate (preservative), xanthan gum (thickening and stabilizing), carrageenan (thickening), and red dyes 3 and 4 (for color).

Kava, kratom, St. John's Wort, and green tea extract present health concerns

Consumer Reports, which tests supplements for safety, urges consumers to avoid these four supplements due to safety warnings from researchers and public health authorities.

Alcohol is responsible for 5% of cancer cases and 4% of cancer deaths in the US

Alcohol consumption is linked to at least eight different types of cancer, including liver, breast, and throat. The risk comes from ethanol, which turns into DNA-damaging acetaldehyde. Experts recommend limiting intake or quitting altogether to reduce long-term health risks.

How alcohol rewires your brain

Alcohol doesn't just make you tipsy—it rewires your brain chemistry in real time. It slows your brain with GABA, spikes dopamine to make you feel unstoppable, and blocks glutamate so you can't form memories. That mix explains everything from slurred speech to blackouts … and brutal hangovers.

Tick bites can fuel an allergy to a sugar molecule in red meat

Alpha-gal syndrome is on the rise globally as ticks spread due to climate shifts. Bites from some ticks can trigger a sensitivity to a sugar molecule called alpha-gal found in mammal meat, which can lead to allergic responses to hamburgers and steak, among other products. Listen to an expert’s tips for avoiding this allergy, including quickly removing any ticks to limit exposure to their saliva or vomit.

The non-alcoholic wine market

A no-nonsense, stats-based exploration of the relatively new market for nonalcoholic wine. Driven by people looking to consume less or no alcohol at all, production of nonalcoholic wine has increased dramatically over the last few years. This report details the basics of nonalcoholic winemaking, as well as the current state of the market and what to expect in the future.

Are seed oils as bad as rumors say?

Some claim seed oils—oils extracted from seeds, such as sunflower or canola—increase inflammation and disease risk, advising consumers reach for saturated fats instead. Saturated fats, typically solid at room temperature, are found in animal products and some vegetable oils, including coconut. When adjusting for lifestyle risk factors, research shows seed oils are, on average, good for one's heart and considered healthy alternatives to saturated fat.

The difference between ice cream, gelato, sorbet, and Italian ice

Ice cream is made of eggs and is high in fat, served cold. Gelato, on the other hand, has more milk and less cream, and is typically served warmer than ice cream. Sorbet is dairy-free and often includes alcohol, while Italian ice is grainy, lighter, and low in calories (and often doesn't contain dairy).

The extremophilic origins of watermelon snow and its impact on glacial melting

Also known as "blood snow," the red coloration is produced by snow algae that thrive in extremely cold conditions and take the shape of red spherical cysts in winter. To protect themselves from more intense summer solar radiation, these psychrophiles accumulate red, orange, and yellow pigments, intensifying their coloration and causing glaciers to reflect less sunlight than if they were white.

Breaking down the different types of drinking water, from alkaline to sparkling

While tap water is regulated by the EPA, environmental and infrastructural factors can introduce contaminants, which filtering can help to remove. Distilled water has had all of its mineral contaminants removed and may be used in laboratory settings, but mineral water has them added in for taste or to promote health.

At the beginning of the 20th century, a group of young men ate standard American food—replete with food additives like borax and formaldehyde—as part of government research to better understand food safety.

Oral rehydration solution was developed in the 1960s in response to cholera deaths

Drinking this life-saving mix, which consists of clean water, salts, and sugar, helps the human body rehydrate after extreme bouts of diarrhea, vomiting, or both. It's now used for a variety of diarrheal diseases.

Daylight Saving Time is linked to a rise in heart attacks and strokes

Losing an hour of sleep with seasonal time changes is not good for our health and it’s linked to risks for the first couple days of Daylight Saving Time, including a short-term rise in heart attacks and strokes. Scientists theorize these elevated risks are linked to the disruption to the body’s circadian rhythm.

Telehealth demand for GLP-1s for weight loss is booming as consumers seek easier access.

Poison ivy is in the same family as mangoes, cashews, and pistachios—and they all produce oily urushiol in their raw, unprocessed state—but they are typically prepared in ways to avoid causing human discomfort.

The use of fungi to detoxify land and water—a process known as mycoremediation—has been used to clean up natural resources affected by the 2025 California wildfires.

See images of medical cases of firework injuries shared on this 'Instagram for doctors.' (Warning: Graphic content)

US consumers collectively owe more than $1T to credit card companies—almost as much as they owe in auto loans.

Alzheimer's can lead to brain shrinkage, with an average of around 2% of volume reduction per year

Some renewable energy sources may weaken the resiliency of electric grids by removing outage buffers provided by coal- and natural gas-fired plants, which provide the system with more time to find a new power source if a plant goes down.

Learn how monoclonal antibodies, which mimic the body's antibodies, can fight diseases like Ebola.

Up to a million Girl Scouts sell about 200 million cookie boxes every spring, generating $800 million, largely because refusing a child is frowned upon

Memecoins are a type of cryptocurrency—a form of digital currency with a wide variety of uses—created around popular 'memes,' or viral internet jokes.

The first line of 'immortal' human cells, which can divide indefinitely and are used in scientific research, was nonconsensually taken from a Black woman.

The boiling temperature of water decreases with increasing elevation because the molecules need less energy to overcome the lower atmospheric pressure associated with thinner air.

Dozens of S&P 500 stocks, including Coca-Cola and Walmart—known as the dividend aristocrats—have increased dividends every year for 25 years

'Silent' fireworks have gained more interest in recent years as a quieter celebratory option.

Gerrymandering works through two techniques: cracking opposing voters across districts to dilute their power, and packing them into a few to waste their votes in lopsided majorities.

After the Boston Tea Party, colonists switched to coffee, which became the main morning drink for revolutionaries.

See how Budweiser's famous Clydesdales spend their days at Warm Springs Ranch, where roughly 70 to 80 of the beer brand's giant horses can be found at any given time.

Browse a detailed visual analysis of over 200,000 similes—comparisons that often use 'like' or 'as'—from popular fiction to see how frequently writers the same idiomatic expressions.

Corals are themselves not coral reefs—the term refers to the tiny marine invertebrates that build the rigid reef.

Louisiana's 'Cancer Alley' is infamous for having some of the highest industrial pollution, toxic air emissions, and cancer risks in the US.

Learn how to read a prospectus, the juicy document that any company must file with the SEC before going public.

Lesser-known phobias include turophobia, or the fear of cheese, and nomophobia, the fear of being without your cell phone.

The term 'algorithm' originated from the Latinized name of al-Khwārizmī, a 9th-century mathematician whose works introduced Arabic numerals and the decimal-based numeral system to Europe and whose treatise 'Al-Jabr' gave algebra its name.

When you complete a CAPTCHA on a website to prove you are human, you may be unknowingly training algorithms for self-driving cars, whose systems require training data to help identify crosswalks, bicycles, and other outdoor objects.