Research results that adding too much sugar may harm your health

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Eating a lot of free sugar (also called added sugar) may seem harmless at the moment, but it can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease, new research has found.

free Sugar is added during food processing. It is packaged as table sugar and other sweeteners. It occurs naturally in syrups, honey, fruit and vegetable juices, purees, pastes, and similar products in which the cellular structure of foods is disrupted. U.S. Food and Drug AdministrationContains no sugars that occur naturally in dairy products and structurally whole fruits and vegetables.

Previous studies have reported that the relationship between carbohydrate consumption and cardiovascular disease may depend on the quality rather than the quantity of carbohydrates consumed. new research It was published Monday in the journal BMC Medicine. To test that theory, the authors behind the latest study participated in the UK Biobank, a cohort study that collected data from over 503,000 UK-based adults between 2006 and 2010. We evaluated diet and health data from over 110,000 people.

People included in the new study participated in two to five 24-hour online dietary assessments and recorded their food and drink intake multiple times within each 24-hour period. found that total carbohydrate intake was not associated with cardiovascular disease. It was found that the more , the higher the risk of cardiovascular disease and the greater the waist circumference.

The more free sugars some participants consumed, the higher their risk of cardiovascular disease, heart disease, and stroke. A term that refers to all types of diseases that affect the heart or blood vessels, such as heart disease and peripheral artery disease. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (PDF).

The higher the free sugar intake, the higher the concentration of Triglyceride — A type of fat that comes from extra calories that your body doesn’t need right away, in addition to the butter, oil, and other fats that people eat. High triglyceride levels — defined as Exceeding 150 milligrams per deciliter may increase the risk of heart disease, including coronary artery disease.

“This study provides the nuance needed for the public health debate about the health effects of carbohydrates,” said Maya Adam, Ph.D., clinical assistant professor of pediatrics and director of health media innovation at Stanford University School of Medicine, in an e-mail. said in an email. Adam was not involved in the research. “The main point is that not all carbs are created equal.”

The relationship between high free sugar intake and cardiovascular disease risk lies in differences in how the body metabolizes free sugars and sugars in whole foods.

“Higher sugar intake increases inflammation in the body, which can put stress on the heart and blood vessels and increase blood pressure,” says Brooke Aggarwal, an assistant professor of medicine in the Department of Cardiology at Columbia University Irving Medical. says. center. Aggarwal was not involved in this research.

“Added sugars, often found in processed foods, have little nutritional value and can lead to overeating and excess calorie intake, resulting in overeating, a well-established risk factor for heart disease. May lead to weight/obesity.

Based on their findings, the authors suggested replacing the naturally occurring free sugars in whole fruits and vegetables with non-free sugars to lower the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, and suggested that nutritional and Cardiovascular health experts agree.

“Whole food carbohydrates take longer to break down into simple sugars, and fiber, which is part of it, cannot be broken down at all,” Adam added. Blood sugar spikes cause insulin spikes, which destabilize blood sugar levels and, in the long run, can be the root cause of health problems. can be a cause.”

Additionally, the fiber in whole food carbohydrates acts as an ‘internal scrubbing brush’ as ​​it passes through the digestive system. ” must be taken in a certain amount. ”

According to, your total fiber intake should be at least 25 grams daily. FDA.

Dr. Leana Wen, medical analyst for CNN, professor of public health and emergency physician at George Washington University, said: Wen was not involved in her research.

“Often people think about cutting calories or not eating fatty foods, but they may not be aware of the dangers of free sugar.

“When you buy packaged foods, even things you wouldn’t consider sweet like bread, breakfast cereals, flavored yogurts, and condiments, these foods usually have a lot of added sugar, That adds up,” says Adam.

Aggarwal suggests avoiding sugary drinks and drinking water sweetened with fruit slices instead. Foods with a high fiber content also help keep you feeling full longer, she added.

Cooking and baking at home more often is one of the best ways to reduce sugar in your diet, Adam said.

” American Heart Association We recommend that added sugars make up less than 6% of your calories per day, which equates to 6 teaspoons per day for women and 9 teaspoons per day for men,” Aggarwal said. I’m here.

Finally, dietary change efforts shouldn’t be limited to kitchens and grocery stores. “Aim to get at least seven to eight hours of quality sleep per night. choose foods high in sugar When I’m tired,” says Aggarwal.