Those who drink a sugar-sweetened beverage every day may be significantly increasing their risk for heart disease or a stroke, according to a 2020 study reported in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
“Sugar has several negative effects on the heart and arteries,” said Dr. Oleg Chebotarev, ThedaCare cardiologist. “Eating foods or drinking beverages that contain added sugar can lead to high blood pressure, chronic inflammation and higher cholesterol and triglyceride levels, all of which can contribute to heart disease.”
The most common sugar-sweetened beverages Americans consume include regular soda (not sugar-free), fruit-flavored drinks (not 100% fruit juice), sports and energy drinks, pre-sweetened water, and coffee and tea with added sugar.
These drinks are sweetened by the addition of a number of different types of added sugars, including brown sugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, glucose, high-fructose corn syrup, honey, lactose, malt syrup, maltose, molasses, raw sugar and sucrose.
One 12-ounce can of regular cola contains nine teaspoons (36 grams) of sugar — the American Heart Association’s limit for how much added sugar men should consume each day. Women and children should only consume six teaspoons (25 grams) of added sugar per day.
Chebotarev said sugar affects the heart in several ways.
“Excess sugar adds extra calories to our diet, which are stored in the body as triglycerides,” he said. “High triglycerides are a risk factor for developing atherosclerosis, a narrowing, thickening and stiffening of the arteries that can cause poor blood flow to the heart.”
Food and drinks with added sugar also increase low-density lipoprotein levels (LDL — bad cholesterol) and decrease high-density lipoprotein levels (HDL — good cholesterol).
Chebotarev said that while bodies need cholesterol for cell development, high cholesterol levels could create fatty deposits in our blood that can block arteries over time and restrict the flow of blood to hearts. Another threat is that the fatty deposits can break loose and pass through the blood stream to the heart or brain, causing a heart attack or stroke.
A follow-up study of descendants of the famous Boston University Framingham Heart Study noted that drinking more than 12 ounces per day of sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with a 53% higher incidence of high triglycerides and a 98% higher incidence of low HDL cholesterol compared to those who drank less than one serving per month.
Chebotarev added that sugar also contributes to chronic inflammation throughout the body, which is also linked to atherosclerosis.
“Caffeine and heart disease can be related as well, with caffeine acting as a stimulant to the heart, which can affect one’s heart rate,” he said.
With an estimated 70% of Americans adding sugar to their coffee, it also can be a hidden source of added sugar in one’s diet. In addition, unfiltered coffee can raise blood cholesterol levels because of certain natural oils that coffee contains, suggesting that one should limit the drinking of espressos, French press and other unfiltered coffee drinks.
Chebotarev offered these suggestions for reducing sugar intake and improving cholesterol levels:
• Eliminate sugar-sweetened drinks from a diet.
• Drink more water.
• Follow a Mediterranean diet.
• Learn to recognize the names of added sugars, and read food/drink labels carefully, noticing how many grams of sugar are in the product. Four grams of sugar equals one teaspoon.
• Get adequate exercise on a weekly basis.
• Have cholesterol levels checked yearly.
“It is possible to lower our risks for developing heart disease,” Chebotarev said. “Eating a diet that’s low in added sugar is important in that regard. Working toward eliminating sugar-sweetened drinks is a great first step in that direction.”
Sugary drinks linked to heart disease
