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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Andrew Gregory Health editor in Munich

EXPLAINED: Sweetener used in chewing gum and jam linked to strokes and heart attacks - The Real Truth

Jam on toast
Xylitol is present in some natural foods in very low amounts, but also added in much larger amounts to sweeten products. Photograph: Martin Lee/Alamy

A common sweetener used in products such as chewing gum, toothpaste, jam, yoghurts and ice-cream has been linked to an increased risk of strokes, heart attacks and death.

Xylitol is a sugar alcohol present in some natural foods in very low amounts. It is also added – often in amounts 1,000 times higher – to artificially sweeten foods, beverages and oral care products.

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