Can artificial sweeteners increase your risk of heart disease?
Some Concern
What's actually in it
Artificial sweeteners like aspartame, sucralose, and saccharin are found in diet sodas, sugar-free snacks, low-calorie yogurts, and tabletop sweetener packets. Many people use them to cut sugar intake, but these chemicals interact with your body in ways beyond just taste.
What the research says
A 2026 study in Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol found that long-term exposure to artificial sweeteners increased the risk of atherosclerosis, the buildup of fatty plaques inside arteries. The study showed that these sweeteners triggered inflammation and changes in blood vessel cells that make plaque formation more likely.
Atherosclerosis narrows your arteries and can lead to heart attacks and strokes. The risk grew with longer exposure, suggesting that years of daily diet soda or sugar-free snack consumption could add up.
Instead of artificial sweeteners, try small amounts of real sugar, honey, or maple syrup. If you drink diet soda daily, gradually switch to sparkling water with a splash of fruit juice.
The research at a glance
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