A recent medical study has found that artificial sweeteners can increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Researchers in their study published in the journal "Nature Medicine" stated that high levels of sweeteners added to processed foods may increase the risk of blood clots.

The researchers found that people with large amounts of "erythritol" in their blood were twice as likely to have a heart attack or stroke compared to those with lower amounts.

"Erythritol" is a sugar alcohol found in many vegetables and fruits, and the human body also produces small amounts of it.

"Erythritol" has been produced industrially for more than 30 years and is used as an artificial sweetener in more than 50 countries.

"Erythritol" is also characterized by its sweetness similar to sugar, it is produced by fermenting corn, and is used in many keto foods and sugar-free products.

Commenting on the study, the head of the department of cardiovascular sciences and metabolism at "Cleveland," Dr. Stanley Hazen said: "I think there is a lot of data here to argue that we should avoid erythritol, especially if you are at risk of cardiovascular disease," according to the "UPI" news agency.

According to Hazen, laboratory tests indicated that "erythritol" makes platelets more responsive, thus it is like giving a stimulus to cause platelet clotting.