SUGAR RULES –
May 11, 2026 – That “sugar-free” snack in your kitchen may not be as harmless as it looks.
Scientists are raising new concerns about sorbitol, a common sweetener used in products marketed as low-calorie or diabetic friendly. New research suggests the sugar alcohol can trigger processes linked to fatty liver disease, especially when gut bacteria fail to break it down properly.
The study, published in Science Signaling, found that sorbitol can ultimately behave much like fructose inside the body.
Fructose, which is heavily used in soft drinks and processed foods, has already been strongly linked to metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), a condition formerly known as fatty liver disease. MASLD now affects an estimated 30% of adults worldwide and is increasingly being diagnosed in younger people.
