March 13, 2012
Sugary drinks should be an occasional, not an everyday,
treat
|
Go for healthier alternatives such as
water, low fat milk, or unsweetened juices.
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Drinking a sugary drink every day could
increase your risk of heart disease, according to new research.
Scientists in America looked at the health of men who drank a 12
ounce sugary drink – the equivalent of a typical can of drink –
every day. They found that men who drank one sugar
sweetened drink every day - like a can of fizzy cola - had
a 20% increased risk of heart disease,
compared to men who didn’t drink any sugar sweetened beverages.
Previous research had suggested the extra
calories from consuming regular sugary drinks contributed
to weight gain – raising a person’s
risk of heart disease. However, this research found that,
independent of other factors, regularly consuming sugary drinks had
adverse affects on the indicators for heart
disease in the body, such as triglycerides and high density
lipoprotein (HDL).
Whilst we need more research to understand how else sugary drinks may affect our heart health, the study reminds us they shouldn’t be a daily part of our diet
Our Dietitian Tracy
Parker said: “We already know that
too many sugar
sweetened drinks are bad for our teeth and the excess
calories from them can make us put on weight - a risk factor for
heart disease.
"But, whilst we need more research to understand how else sugary
drinks may affect our heart health, the study reminds us that they
shouldn’t be a daily part of our diet.
“Go for healthier alternatives such as water,
low fat milk, or unsweetened juices, which are kinder to our
waistlines as well as our heart.”
The research was published in Circulation, the Journal of the
American Heart Association.