Some sources of added sugar are worse than others, new study suggests

Dec 10

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Lauren Taylor Anchor

By Lauren Taylor (Anchor), Shea Taylor (Producer), Ian Kennedy (Lead Video Editor)

Added sugar is the enemy to the body’s health, at least that is what has been taught for decades now. However, just like any other enemy, some are worse than others. A new study shows the kind of sugary treat one indulges in changes how it impacts their health.

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The study was done over the span of more than 20 years, and looked at three major categories: sugary beverages, sweets — like pastries — and toppings, like the honey that people add to tea or the sugar put in coffee.

Researchers from Lund University in Sweden found consuming sweet drinks significantly increases the risk for heart disease, while eating things like pastries and chocolate in social settings might actually protect the body’s health.

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Researchers said the study was only observational, meaning they found associations but can’t yet be sure that the ways people take in sugar caused the different rates of heart disease, so it needs to be studied further.

Still, one of the study’s authors said a theory behind why sugary drinks may seem to impact heart health more is that they make the consumer feel less full, making it easy to drink more than they should.

The study also found that weight plays a big role in how sugar impacts health. Those with a higher body mass index (BMI) were at higher risk of stroke or aortic aneurysm with higher sugar intake, while those considered normal weight saw increased heart health risks.

The bottom line? Cutting out sugar altogether is not necessary to live the healthiest life.

Tags: Cardiovascular disease, Coffee, Fitness, food, Health, Heart attack, Study, Sweden, Weight Loss

[Lauren Taylor]

ADDED SUGAR IS THE ENEMY TO YOUR HEALTH – THAT’S WHAT WE’VE BEEN TAUGHT TO BELIEVE FOR DECADES NOW.

WELL, IT TURNS OUT, JUST LIKE ANY OTHER ENEMY – SOME ARE WORSE THAN OTHERS.

A NEW STUDY SHOW THE KIND OF SUGARY TREAT YOU INDULGE IN – CHANGES HOW IT IMPACTS YOUR HEALTH.

THE STUDY WAS DONE OVER THE SPAN OF MORE THAN 20 YEARS… AND LOOKED AT THREE MAJOR CATEGORIES:

SUGARY BEVERAGES, SWEETS – LIKE PASTRIES, FOR EXAMPLE – AND TOPPINGS, LIKE THE HONEY YOU ADD TO TEA OR THE SUGAR YOU PUT IN YOUR COFFEE.

RESEARCHERS FROM LUND UNIVERSITY IN SWEDEN FOUND CONSUMING SWEET DRINKS SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASES THE RISK FOR HEART DISEASE – WHILE EATING THINGS LIKE PASTRIES AND CHOCOLATE IN SOCIAL SETTINGS MIGHT ACTUALLY PROTECT YOUR HEALTH.

RESEARCHERS SAY THE STUDY WAS ONLY OBSERVATIONAL – MEANING THEY FOUND ASSOCIATIONS BUT CAN’T YET BE SURE THE WAYS PEOPLE TAKE IN SUGAR CAUSED THE DIFFERENT RATES OF HEART DISEASE – SO IT STILL NEEDS TO BE STUDIED FURTHER.

STILL, ONE OF THE STUDY’S AUTHORS SAID A THEORY BEHIND WHY SUGARY DRINKS MAY SEEM TO IMPACT YOUR HEART HEALTH MORE IS THAT THEY MAKE YOU FEEL LESS FULL… MAKING IT EASY TO DRINK MORE THAN YOU SHOULD.

THE STUDY ALSO FOUND WEIGHT PLAYS A BIG ROLE IN HOW SUGAR IMPACTS YOUR HEALTH – THOSE WITH A HIGHER BODY MASS INDEX WERE AT HIGHER RISK OF STROKE OR AORTIC ANEURYSM WITH HIGHER SUGAR INTAKE… WHILE THOSE CONSIDERED NORMAL-WEIGHT INCREASED HEART HEALTH RISKS.

THE BOTTOM LINE?

CUTTING OUT SUGAR ALTOGETHER IS NOT NECESSARY TO LIVE YOUR HEALTHIEST LIFE.

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