A randomized trial was recently published that tested whether drinking sugar sweetened beverages increases risk of heart disease. In this investigation, 85 subjects were given either 0%, 10%, 17% or 25% of energy requirements as sugar sweetened beverages for a period of two weeks. The researchers measured risk factors for heart disease both before and after the intervention. After the two weeks were over, the subjects consuming the sugar sweetened beverages had significant, linear, and dose response increases in triglycerides, LDL cholesterol, and uric acid concentrations. Subjects consuming the two higher doses of sugar also showed increases in non-HDL cholesterol, Apo lipoprotein B, and
Take Home Message
Years ago, sugar
was considered “empty calories” that didn’t do much good, but also didn’t do
much harm. That idea is changing fast. This study, and others like it, are
beginning to offer proof that sugar consumption in and of itself can cause
disease. The take home message here is to get sugar out of your diet entirely. If
you can’t or won’t do this, do your best to strictly limit consumption. Incidentally
and not surprisingly, subjects consuming the two highest doses of sugar gained
weight after the two week intervention.
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