A new study reveals that eating too much sugar is bad for our heart and could lead to an earlier death. The research examined nutrition surveys from nearly 12,000 Americans and found that those who reported consuming the greatest percentage of calories from added sugar were twice as likely to die from heart disease over a 14-year period compared to those who consumed the least.
“We have emerging evidence to suggest that added sugar may play a role in multiple pathways in heart disease deaths,” said study leader Quanhe Yang, a senior scientist at the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Eating too much sugar can contribute to Type 2 diabetes, which is associated with a higher heart disease risk, and it may increase the likelihood of hypertension and elevated cholesterol levels — both heart risk factors.
How much we should limit added sugars:
The Institute of Medicine recommends that added sugar make up less than 25 percent of total calories, the World Health Organization recommends less than 10 percent, and the American Heart Association recommends limiting added sugars to fewer than 100 calories daily for women and 150 calories daily for men.
Enjoy your best heart health.