Most diet-conscious individuals refrain from consuming sugary drinks possibly due to their high sugar content. As per a report by professionals at the British Heart Foundation (BHF), consuming sugary drinks daily could raise the risk for heart disease.
A group of men was inspected in the study who apparently consumed a 12 ounce sugary drink every day. This amount is equal to about 1 can of drink usually available over-the-counter. According to the observations, those who consumed a can of sugar-sweetened drink daily seemingly experienced 20% increased risk for heart disease. This was not the case with men who did not drink a sugar-sweetened beverage every day.
BHF Dietitian Tracy Parker remarked, “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.â€
Most people connote sugary drinks with weight gain and thus believe that they could cause heart disease. However, this trial puts forth that the heart disease risk is independent of other variables like obesity or general health. Basically, the risk for heart disease was manifested as high amounts of triglycerides and low proportions of good cholesterol in the body.
The dietitian added that sugary drinks could be substituted by healthier choices like unsweetened juices, low-fat milk, or water. This study is published in the journal, Circulation.