Added Sugar in Diet Threatens Heart Health

While there's no denying our taste buds enjoy sugar, a new study brings evidence that it is pretty troublesome for the rest of the body, most especially the heart. The added sugar that is part of so many of our prepared and processed foods are threatening our cardiovascular health, lowering levels of protective HDL cholesterol while raising levels of triglycerides, maybe even making people fatter according new research.

The study was based on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Study from 1999-2006 and included 6,113 adults. Phone interviewers asked participants what they had eaten the day before, and then estimated the total added sugar in each diet.

The researchers found there was an increase in the amount of sugar consumed to 15.8% of total calories, up from a mere 10.6% in 1977-78. The average American now takes in 3.2 ounces of added sugars a day, equal to 21.4 teaspoons or 359 calories according to the study.

Almost half of the sugar American's consume comes from soft drinks, but this isn't the only source - cereals, baked items and other foods also bring their share. The growing focus on low fat diets also has food manufacturers adding sugars in place of fats to help improve taste.

There was also an effect on cholesterol. For adults who got 10% or more of their daily calories from sugar, the odds of low HDL (good) cholesterol levels were 50% to 300% greater than for those getting less than 5% of their daily calories from sugar.

Taking in more sugar was also linked with higher levels of triglycerides and a link between sugar consumption and the levels of dangerous LDL were seen in women, but not in men.

Those who reported getting 25% (or more) of their calories from sugar were found to have gained an average of 2.8 pounds in the previous year, while those whose sugar consumption accounted for less than 5% of the intake actually lost about a third of a pound during the same time.

This work supports the American Heart Association recommendations about sugar. The AHA tells us that women should have no more than 100 calories of added sugar a day - about one ounce or six teaspoons of sugar. For men the intake should be 150 calories a day or about 9 teaspoons. Other guidelines are all over the place... the Institute of Medicine recommends no more than 25% of total energy from added sugar, while the World Health Organization suggests intake stay under 10%.

Food makers could help us take in less sugar by giving more information on product labels, listing sugar content in terms of teaspoonfuls instead of calories. Reading those labels with care is an important step. It's also vital to eat a balanced diet with lots of whole grains and vegetables, as well as fruits in order to keep your body healthy.

The industry group The Sugar Association, disputes the idea that we're eating more sugar. To prove the point, it cites a U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that said consumption of caloric sweeteners (including added sugar) has gone down by 9.7% over the last ten years.