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Papaya For Digestive Help!

Papain is a proteolytic enzyme found in concentrated amounts in unripe papaya fruit. It is similar to bromelain (found in pineapple) and has many of the same health benefits. However, there are a few medicinal traits unique to papain that can help improve the body’s overall health.

Papain for Digestive Issues
For instance, if you cook with red meat, you may know that papaya is a well-known fruit used as a tenderizer. This is because the enzymes in the fruit help break down the proteins in the meat. The papain in papaya does the same thing in the body. However, what makes papain a bit more special is that it doesn’t require a certain level of acidity or alkalinity within the body.

This is of vital importance for those with enzyme deficiency problems, as well as for those with low hydrochloric acid output in the stomach. It is important to understand that pepsin produced in the stomach to aid in protein digestion is activated only in an acid medium. This requires a healthy output of hydrochloric acid that is insufficient in many people—especially as they age. Since papain does not require hydrochloric acid, many people with digestive problems will be helped by daily supplementation with papain. In fact, you’ll often find papain in digestive enzyme formulas for this reason.

Papain as an Anti-Inflammatory
While papain is certainly effective as a digestive enzyme, it is also just as effective as a systemic enzyme. If papain is taken between meals, it makes its way into the bloodstream where it helps reduce pain and inflammation, as well as fluid retention following trauma and surgery. In fact, studies have shown that papain possesses strongly marked anti-inflammatory activity, and this ability is no less than that of the pharmaceutical drugs butadion and indomethacin.

We are pleased to offer two digestive enzyme blends that feature Papain as a main ingredient.

NOW® Super Enzymes is a comprehensive blend of enzymes that supports healthy digestion. Formulated with Bromelain, Ox Bile, Pancreatin and Papain, Super Enzymes helps to optimize the breakdown of fats, carbohydrates and protein.  Also, excellent for someone having early stage gallbladder and pancreas issues!

NOW® Plant Enzymes is a comprehensive blend of enzymes that helps to support proper digestion. This product’s combination of enzymes assists in the breakdown of fats, fiber, proteins, and carbohydrates, thus optimizing the availability of nutrients in the food you eat. NOW® Plant Enzymes also includes lactase to support the digestion of dairy products for those who are sensitive to lactose.

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Recipe – Whole Wheat Pancakes

These are some of our favorite pancakes.  We love to make them and top with butter, fruit such as peaches, and whipped topping.  Yum!
 
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 Tbsp sugar
2 eggs
5 Tbsp applesauce or oil
1½ cups milk
 
Place all ingredients in a bowl.  Whisk together until smooth.  Cook on a hot griddle.

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A Quick Walk a Day Keeps Arthritis at Bay

Arthritis is a major complaint of many people as they get older. Typically starting after the age of 40, osteoarthritis—the most common form of arthritis—develops in one or more joints and results in pain, stiffness, and swelling, which can worsen to the point that it impacts the quality of life and eventually even becomes disabling. And with more than 30 million adults in the United States alone suffering from osteoarthritis, this is an issue that should be of concern to all of us. But even if you already have a diagnosis of osteoarthritis, there is hope. New research suggests that there may be a simple way to avoid a worsening of your symptoms.

The study, which took place at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, Illinois, found that taking a brisk walk for less than 10 minutes per day is associated with a decrease in the risk of developing a disability for those with osteoarthritis in a lower-extremity joint. This is based on an investigation that included more than 1,500 men and women between the age of 45 and 79 and residing around Baltimore, Maryland; Columbus, Ohio; Pawtucket, Rhode Island; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

All the subjects had been diagnosed with osteoarthritis in the knee, hip, ankle, or foot, and experienced some level of pain or stiffness but were not limited in mobility or disabled in any way as the trial began. They were tracked for four years, with their physical activity recorded on a wearable electronic device. After evaluating the data, the researchers discovered that just one hour a week—or less than 10 minutes a day—of moderate to vigorous exercise was enough to lower their risk of disability substantially.

As the four-year time period ended, the participants were assessed as to their ability to perform a number of standard daily and self-care tasks. Among those who spent less than an hour a week doing moderate activity, 24 percent had to walk so slowly that it was unsafe to cross a street and 23 percent had trouble with basic tasks such as bathing and dressing unassisted. But those who had been doing a minimum of an hour a week of exercise had an 85 percent lower risk of being unable to cross a street alone due to the need to walk slowly, and their risk of being unable to bathe, dress, or walk across a room unaided was close to 45 percent lower.

Considering the fact that approximately 20 percent of osteoarthritis sufferers develop a disability over time, this is huge news. It may be intimidating for someone who rarely or never does any sort of exercise to hear that they should be working out for a half hour to an hour each week. But even if you are currently sedentary and don’t do anything more than walk around your home and to the door of your car, 10 minutes a day of walking is a realistic goal that you can absolutely achieve.

Don’t concern yourself too much with your pace initially. Simply start by putting on a comfortable pair of shoes and walking down the block, around the corner, or wherever you can make it in a few minutes. As this becomes a habit, you can work on extending the amount of time you spend walking and pick up your speed.

And don’t forget to take other steps to lower your risk of disability from osteoarthritis, such as eating foods that help reduce inflammation like nuts and losing weight, which will relieve some stress on your affected joints. Adding in a supplement such as OsteoMove Extra Strength Joint Care from Natural Factors can provide fast relief from acute and chronic pain and has extensive long-term benefits for joint health. A powerful anti-inflammatory, OsteoMove slows down cartilage degeneration, maintains strong and healthy bones, and encourages the repair of connective tissue.  Be sure to pick up your bottle of OsteoMove on your next “walk” to Whitaker’s! 

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Mushrooms Help Protect Your Brain

We all worry at least occasionally about what the future will bring. As we get older, one of the scariest threats is the possibility of developing dementia and losing many of our precious memories. While there is no surefire way to guarantee that we won’t experience cognitive decline in our later years, there are steps we can take that will reduce its likelihood. New research now suggests that one potential form of brain protection could come from something you might already enjoy eating—mushrooms.

The study, which took place at the National University of Singapore, found that consuming mushrooms more than twice a week is associated with a lower risk of cognitive problems such as mild memory loss and language difficulties in older adults. These results are based on an investigation that included 663 Chinese men and women, all of whom were at least 60 years old. Their dietary and lifestyle habits were tracked for a six-year period between 2011 and 2017.

The subjects answered questions about the frequency of their consumption of mushrooms. Then, the researchers compared this information with the results of several different cognitive tests each participant took.

Those who ate mushrooms regularly achieved higher scores on average in the testing and were noted to have greater speed in processing, which is related to the ability to complete tasks in a shorter duration of time. And more mushroom eating was definitely shown to be better, with a positive correlation in test performance especially associated with those who consumed more than two servings of mushrooms a week, or the equivalent of more than 10.5 ounces or 300 mg when compared to their peers who consumed mushrooms less than once a week.

The results are not really surprising to find that mushrooms may offer a boost to our brains. All varieties of the fungi are rich in ergothioneine, which is an amino acid with anti-inflammatory effects that may prevent free radical damage to the brain. Mushrooms are also good sources of vitamin D, selenium, and spermidine. Spermidine is known to help clear debris that accumulates in the body’s cells.

What’s more, this is not the first research to show that mushrooms can benefit the brain. A 2017 study at the University of Malaya in Kuala found that regular consumption of mushrooms may be associated with brain changes that reduce the risk of developing dementia.

Finally, don’t forget that staving off cognitive decline is about more than just mushroom consumption. It’s important to eat a varied diet that offers a lot of fruits and vegetables full of antioxidants and nutrients that can help protect your brain. Blueberries and leafy green vegetables are also good food options that have been shown to provide some protection from dementia as we age. Supplementing with L-Carnosine and Acetyl-L-Carnitine can help maintain the health of brain cells. And exercise is another essential factor that has been found to give our brains a boost and prevent memory loss.

And all that being said, remember, dementia is also a side effect of many medications—especially psychopharmaceuticals when used in combination. The more you take, the greater the risk.

So keeping up your overall health is most important and supplementing with mushrooms is a great way to boost your health!  Be sure to check out our large selection of mushroom based supplements on your next visit to Whitaker’s! 

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Health Benefits of Activated Charcoal

If you’ve ever used a water filtration system or pitcher, you’ve already seen the benefits of activated charcoal in action. Activated charcoal does essentially the same thing in your intestinal tract that a charcoal block does in your water filter. Toxins and chemicals bind to the activated charcoal, and since the charcoal doesn’t get “digested” per se, these toxins are then flushed out. It can attract and trap thousands of times its own weight in gases, toxins, food additives and other chemicals. In fact, activated charcoal is estimated to reduce absorption of poisonous substances by up to 60%. Even more, it can absorb over 3,000 known drug residues.

Activated Charcoal for Poison or Overdose – While common uses of this natural remedy aren’t vast, activated charcoal can be quite effective when it counts. A perfect example of this is its use by hospitals to treat certain types of poisoning and drug overdoses. In fact, research shows that it in some cases, it may work even better than stomach pumping.

Activated Charcoal for Teeth Whitening – One unexpected use for activated charcoal is its ability to help whiten teeth naturally. In the same way it works in the body, it adsorbs plaque and toxins from the mouth, killing bad bacteria and removing stains.

Activated Charcoal for Gas and Bloating – Another positive effect of activated charcoal is that it may help reduce gas and bloating when eating known gassy foods. A double-blind clinical trial showed that symptoms of bloating and abdominal cramps attributable to gaseousness were significantly reduced in both groups by activated charcoal.

Activated Charcoal for Skin Health – In addition to some of the benefits already detailed, you will probably find activated charcoal in many natural remedy first aid kits in case of bug bites, rashes, and even acne. It is known to help with issues ranging from mosquito bites to bites from snakes and poisonous spiders.

Activated Charcoal for Digestive and Internal Health – Even with an extremely healthy diet, our bodies are exposed to countless toxins from our environment, the food we eat, and the water we drink, which can create an unhealthy stress on our bodies and organs. Removing these toxins can provide many positive side effects from more energy, less joint pain, increased mental functions, a decrease in premature aging and improved digestive functions. Activated charcoal helps absorb and flush out the toxins that are causing damage and extra stress to our organs including candida and mold, allowing our entire body to function better.  

How to Use Activated Charcoal
If you have talked to me in the store before, you may very well have heard me recommend Activated Charcoal for a lot of reasons.  You want to take it 1 hour before or 2 hours after meals, supplements, and prescriptions unless taking it with a meal to reduce a gas reaction.  Why you might ask?  While Activated Charcoal is selective in its choices of what to bind to, it can at times bind to things we want to retain, so taking it separately allows it to focus on all the negatives we want to remove.  I also typically recommend 2 capsules twice daily, so be sure to pick up your bottle of Activated Charcoal the next time you are at Whitaker’s. 

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Low-Dose Aspirin Is Now Out of Favor with the Medical Establishment

A series of recent studies have caused the powers that be in the medical community to suddenly look with disfavor on the use of daily, low-dose aspirin for preventing heart disease.

Millions and millions and millions of people around the world have been taking daily, low-dose aspirin for decades because the medical community has told them that this will prevent heart attacks and strokes. After all, taking aspirin is easy to do (a whole lot easier than losing weight, exercising, and eating healthy), costs just pennies, and almost every doctor recommends it to their patients – especially their elderly patients. It is thought by the medical community that aspirin’s anti-inflammatory properties help delay the onset or progress of some diseases (especially heart disease) over a long period. In truth, however, this theory has not been proven. In fact, information on the use of aspirin to increase healthy independent lifespans in older persons is quite limited. The bottom line is that whether 5 years of daily low-dose aspirin therapy can extend disability-free life in healthy seniors is unclear.

This question was answered in five studies and one set of guidelines that were released in three devastating blows from September 2018 through March 2019.

First Blow: Aspirin Doesn’t Help, and It Does Increase Gastrointestinal Bleeding

The first blow was the large observational ASPREE Study (Aspirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly), which was initiated in 2010 and involved participants in Australia and the US. It focused on the efficacy and safety of daily, low-dose aspirin in the elderly for the prevention of a range of disabilities, including heart disease, and the results were published last fall in The New England Journal of Medicine.

From 2010 through 2014, participants were enrolled who were 70 years of age or older (or ≥65 years of age among blacks and Hispanics in the United States) and did not have cardiovascular disease, dementia, or physical disability. Participants were randomly assigned to receive 100 mg per day of enteric-coated aspirin or placebo orally. The primary end point was a composite of death, dementia, or persistent physical disability. Secondary end points reported in this article included the individual components of the primary end point and major hemorrhage.  A total of 19,114 persons with a median age of 74 years were enrolled, of whom 9,525 were randomly assigned to receive aspirin and 9,589 to receive placebo.

The trial was terminated at a median of 4.7 years of follow-up after a determination was made that participants would receive no benefit with continued aspirin use, at least regarding the primary end point. The rate of the composite of death, dementia, or persistent physical disability was 21.5 events per 1,000 person-years in the aspirin group and a slightly – albeit statistically insignificant – lower figure of 21.2 per 1,000 person-years in the placebo group. Additionally, differences between the aspirin group and the placebo group once again favored the placebo group – at a statistically insignificant level – with regard to the secondary individual end points of death from any cause (12.7 events per 1,000 person-years in the aspirin group and 11.1 events per 1,000 person-years in the placebo group). But more statistically significant and shocking was the fact that the rate of major hemorrhage was 36% higher in the aspirin group than in the placebo group (3.8% vs. 2.8%).

To put it in simple terms, the study’s conclusion stated:

“Aspirin use in healthy elderly persons did not prolong disability-free survival over a period of 5 years but led to a higher rate of major hemorrhage than placebo.”

Second Blow: Aspirin Does Not Reduce Mortality and It Profoundly Increases Major Bleeding Events

The second mortal blow to the use of low-dose aspirin came on January 22, 2019, when the Journal of the American Medical Association published the results of a study that found that taking aspirin on a regular basis to prevent heart attacks and strokes can lead to an increased risk of almost 50% in major bleeding episodes.

The results showed that:

Aspirin use was associated with an 11% lower risk of cardiovascular events.  To put this in more easily understandable terms based on the criteria and study participants of 164,225 people, approximately 250 patients needed to be treated with aspirin for 5 years to prevent a single heart attack, stroke, or cardiovascular death.

Aspirin use was associated with a 43% increased risk of major bleeding events, compared to those who did not take it.

Approximately one in 200 people treated with aspirin had a major bleed.

No effect was seen with aspirin on new cancer diagnoses or deaths.

In a University news release, lead author, Dr Sean Zheng, Academic Clinical Fellow in Cardiology at King’s College London said: “This study demonstrates that there is insufficient evidence to recommend routine aspirin use in the prevention of heart attacks, strokes, and cardiovascular deaths in people without cardiovascular disease.

Third Blow: The Coup de Grace. 

And then on March 17, 2019, the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association dealt the coup de grace.

The ACC/AHA Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines commissioned this guideline to consolidate existing recommendations and various recent scientific statements, expert consensus documents, and clinical practice guidelines into a single guidance document focused on the primary prevention of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (ASCVD)–including newly generated, specific recommendations for aspirin use. Those recommendations stated:

Low-dose aspirin (75-100 mg orally daily) MIGHT be considered for the primary prevention of ASCVD among select adults 40 to 70 years of age who are at higher ASCVD risk but not at increased bleeding risk.

Low-dose aspirin (75-100 mg orally daily) should not be administered on a routine basis for the primary prevention of ASCVD among adults >70 years of age.

Low-dose aspirin (75-100 mg orally daily) should not be administered for the primary prevention of ASCVD among adults of any age who are at increased risk of bleeding.

In other words, taking a low-dose aspirin every day to prevent a heart attack or stroke is no longer recommended for most older adults, according to the guidelines. After doctors have almost universally proclaimed for decades that a daily dose of 75 to 100 milligrams of aspirin could prevent cardiovascular problems, while at the same time presenting minimal risk, this represents a startling about face.

The Guidelines went on to state that whereas low-dose aspirin was no longer recommended, lifestyle changes were. Some of the key lifestyle recommendations include engaging in regular exercise (at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each week); aiming for and maintaining a healthy weight; avoiding tobacco (including vaping or second-hand smoke); and eating healthier.

In a simultaneous statement, also published by the American College of Cardiology, Roger S. Blumenthal, MD, co-chair of the 2019 Guidelines, said, “The most important way to prevent cardiovascular disease … is by adopting heart healthy habits and to do so over one’s lifetime. More than 80 percent of all cardiovascular events are preventable through lifestyle changes, yet we often fall short in terms of implementing these strategies and controlling other risk factors.”

This is exactly what we advocate at Whitaker’s Natural Market – improve your diet and lifestyle, include supporting supplements, and eliminate chemicals and toxins from your home and personal use.  So be sure to realize that there are many reasons to improving your diet and lifestyle! 

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The Natural Health Benefits of Lipase

Lipase is a pancreatic enzyme essential to your digestive system. The word “lipase” comes from the Greek word “lipos” which means fat. So, it should be no surprise that its main function is to break down fats in your intestinal tract into smaller more digestible components. Specifically, it converts the triglyceride component found in ingested fats into monoglycerides and two fatty acids. Incomplete digestion of fat allows fat to coat food particles and therefore interferes with the breakdown of other food components such as protein and carbohydrates.

Normal digestion of dietary fat is accomplished by lipase and bile. The function of bile, which is produced in the liver and stored/released by the gallbladder, is to emulsify dietary fats to facilitate the work of the lipase. Large fat molecules offer relatively little surface area for lipase to work on. Bile breaks down the large fat molecule into tiny droplets which provides lipase with an enormously increased surface to work on.

Since lipase digests fat and unbinds fat-soluble vitamins, people who are deficient in lipase may have a tendency towards high cholesterol, high triglycerides, difficulty losing weight, and either diabetes or prediabetes. Lipase deficient people also have decreased cell permeability, meaning nutrients cannot easily get into cells and waste cannot easily get out. Lipase in the bloodstream modulates cell-wall permeability so that nutrients can more easily enter and wastes exit. Waste-eating enzymes (such as protease, which works on protein) may also be taken to help cleanse the blood of unwanted debris.

People with celiac disease suffer from a variety of symptoms including abdominal pain, bloating, weight loss, and fatigue. These symptoms are caused by damage to the intestinal tract from gluten, a protein found in grains. One side effect of the disease is the inability to produce adequate digestive secretions from the pancreas. Some studies have shown that supplementing with lipase may help with this issue.

People diagnosed with cystic fibrosis tend to have insufficient pancreas function. Studies show that supplementing with pancreatic enzymes including lipase can often lead to improved digestion, especially of fats.

There are a number of studies that show that lipase can significantly increase the body’s ability to digest fat. One such study on people suffering from pancreatic diseases found that large servings of lipase helped stabilize fat digestion in up to 63% of participants. Other studies have shown that supplementing with lipase can help reduce lipid malabsorption and return fat digestion to optimal levels. As a result, supplementation with lipase can help control appetite and support healthy cholesterol and triglyceride levels

The general function of most digestive enzymes is to help you extract the energy and nutrients from the foods you eat. Lipase assists in this regard by helping us avoid excessive fecal fat loss which occurs when our bodies are unable to break down fats properly and extract the nutrients needed from our food. Proper levels of lipase allow the body to extract vital nutrients and also allow the proper digestion of essential fatty acids.

There are a variety of conditions associated with digestive upset including abdominal pain, bloating, vomiting, nausea, heartburn, gas, and loss of appetite. One study of hospital patients showed that supplementing with lipase helped reduce these symptoms. In fact, after eight weeks of use, many of the symptoms were significantly improved in the participants taking the lipase supplement.
 
As you can see, there are many benefits associated with this enzyme. Unfortunately, the modern diet is essentially an enzyme-deficient diet – that is, a diet high in cooked and processed foods which leads to a deficiency in natural enzymes, especially lipase as we noted earlier because it is in most foods we typically cook but is destroyed by exposure to heat. If you are like most people who cook these types of foods, you will more than likely benefit from supplementing with digestive enzymes such as lipase.

And even if you eat properly and reduce your intake of cooked and processed foods, studies have shown that as you age, your production of the pancreatic enzymes decreases. What this all means is that for optimal health, you need to be supplementing with digestive enzymes that include lipase. Insufficient live digestive enzymes in the diet force the pancreas to overwork and over stress resulting in long-term, non-acute enlargement of the pancreas. Using supplemental enzymes, with every meal is one of the simplest things you can do to improve the health of your pancreas, which would otherwise need to produce the required enzymes, as well as taking stress off your gallbladder and liver. 

Be sure on your next visit to Whitaker’s to check out our large selection of Digestive Enzymes especially Comfort Zone by Solgar, Digest Ultimate by Now Foods, and Super Enzymes by Now Foods!

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Organic, Non-GMO, or Local, Part 2

This week I promised to share about the history of GMOs from my class on Local, Non-GMO, and Organic two weeks ago.

GMO Timeline:
•Late 1800s to Early 1900s – we begin to destroy the topsoil and nutrients found in it.
•1920s – Dust Bowl – crops wiped out and famine
•Late 1920s – financial collapse
•1940s – World War 2
•Late 1940s to 1950s – Begin using nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium from chemical petroleum based fertilizers left from the war
•Late 1950s to 1960s – plants are now weakened due to lack of full mineral support and susceptible to bugs!
•1970s – Vietnam War and Agent Orange (aka RoundUp)
•1970s – Heavy usage of Glyphosate (RoundUp and other brand names) begins

You can see by this timeline, that we did not fix the soil problem of lack of nutrients, composting, and replenishment.  Rather, we are creating a monoculture and wiping out biodiversity as well as creating superbugs, “super plants”, and “super weeds”.  

GMOs means that someone “owns” your seeds.  Cross-pollination of other fields means contaminating heirloom seeds.  Legally, they can then “own” that seed/field.  The big selling point of GMOs is that they increase yield, and we need them in order to “feed the world.”  The truth is that GMOs do not increase yield.  From a report from 400 scientist “GMOs have nothing to offer to feed the hungry world, eradicate poverty, or create sustainable agriculture.” 

And not only that, but more and more studies are showing dangers.  Dr Arpad Pusztai of Aberdeen Rowett Institute – Rats fed GMO showed precancerious cell growth in their digestive system, brains, livers, and testicals, partial atrophy of the liver, and damaged immune system. Then Monsanto did a 90 day study on rats fed GMO corn.  The rats developed such serious problems, they rewrote the study to hide the results. 

This only goes to show more and more the importance of eating Organic and non-GMO.  

Be sure to check out our ever expanding Organic selection on your next visit to Whitaker’s –  everything from your baking supplies, eggs, meat, and general grocery items.  

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Organic, Non-GMO, or Local, Part 1

I thought I would share a few highlight points from my class last night.  We looked at the three types of food we often see at your local stores – Local, Non-GMO, and Organic.

Local depends on who is defining it.  One large grocery chain defines it as 1,500 miles!  At Whitaker’s, we define it as anything within the state of Ohio…the closer the better.  Local also only references the area it is grown, produced, or manufactured.  Local does not equal non-GMO or Organic.  In fact, Amish farmers in general have some of the highest pesticide usage!

Non-GMO means that there are no genetically modified organisms in the item.  GMOs are the result of a laboratory process where genes from the DNA of one species are extracted and artificially forced into the genes of an unrelated plant or animal.  They are known to cause gut inflammation, toxicity, cancer, ADHD, and much more!  So eliminating them is definitely a step in the right direction; however, non-GMO foods can still be sprayed or fertilized chemically. 

Organic is no GMOs, no usage of synthetic chemical inputs (e.g. fertilizer, pesticides, antibiotics, food additives), no irradiation, and no usage of sewage sludge. The usage of pesticides is known to cause inflammation, fertility issues, cancer, leukemia, thyroid issues, ADHD, birth defects, miscarriages, possibly Parkinson’s, and much more!  So going 100% Organic in your diet eliminates many of the dangers from our food chain, reduces inflammation, and protects your body from ongoing damage.

Be sure to check out our ever expanding Organic selection on your next visit to Whitaker’s –  everything from your baking supplies, eggs, meat, and general grocery items.  

Tune in next week as I share the history of the development of GMOs…and why going non-GMO is so important to preserving our farm land!

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Diet Soda Increases Stroke Risk

Many people drink diet sodas and other artificially sweetened drinks simply because they’ve been having them for years. It may have begun in an attempt to be healthier, avoid excessive sugar intake, and keep weight under control. Of course, now most of us know more about the considerable downside to artificial sweeteners, but plenty of people still haven’t broken their habit. However, if you’re an older woman, you just might have one more reason to leave those diet sodas and other artificially sweetened drinks on the grocery store shelves. New research suggests that these kinds of drinks are associated with a considerable rise in the likelihood of having a stroke.

The study, which was conducted at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, found that the risk of stroke is notably increased in women who consume artificially sweetened beverages on a regular basis. These results are based on an investigation that included 81,714 women who had undergone menopause. All the subjects ranged in age from 50 to 79 when they committed to participation in the Women’s Health Initiative at some point between 1993 and 1998.

The volunteers were followed for an average of 11.9 years, with the researchers keeping tabs on their overall health status. During the study period, the subjects completed a questionnaire on their eating habits that included reporting how often they consumed diet sodas and diet fruit beverages across a three-month span.

Just under two-thirds of the participants said they consumed diet soda or fruit drinks less than once a week or not at all. In fact, it was only approximately five percent of the women who reported “heavy” consumption of these artificially sweetened drinks, which was defined as two or more drinks per day. However, among this group with the most frequent consumption of diet drinks, the overall stroke risk was 23 percent higher than for those who drank them less than once a week.

When the investigators separated out types of stroke, they discovered that ischemic strokes, which are brought on by blood clots, were 31 percent more likely in frequent drinkers of artificially sweetened beverages. That may be due to blocked arteries, which often arise from an accumulation of clots that reduce the flow of blood. What’s more, other cardiovascular issues and health problems were also associated with the diet drinks. The subjects who said they consumed two diet drinks a day or more had a 29 percent higher risk of developing heart disease. In addition, they had a 16 percent elevated risk of early mortality from any cause.

When broken down into subgroups, some segments of this population of postmenopausal women were also shown to have a greater chance of problems linked to their consumption of artificially sweetened drinks. Perhaps not surprisingly, obese women—even when they had no history of diabetes or heart disease—have twice the risk of suffering from a stroke if they frequently consume diet drinks. Perhaps more surprising were differences found by race. Black women who have no history of diabetes or heart disease have a whopping four times greater risk of stroke if they are heavy consumers of diet drinks. And all of the findings held steady even after the investigators controlled for potentially influential factors such as age, blood pressure levels, and smoking habits.

While the study was missing specific information as to which kinds of artificial sweeteners were used in the various diet drinks consumed, it is probably safe to say that any artificial type of sugar substitute is likely risky. Also, we don’t necessarily know that men or younger women would experience the same rise in stroke risk from artificially sweetened drinks, but we do know that they add no nutritional value and are linked to other health issues including heart disease, cancer, and weight gain.

Ultimately, it is far better to avoid artificial sweeteners in all your drinks. Instead, choose soda sweetened with evaporated cane sugar.  Be sure to check out our soda selection all sweetened with evaporated cane sugar on your next visit to Whitaker’s,