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Are Sugar-Sweetened Beverages All That Bad? Here's What Research Says

Hannah Frye
Author:
September 23, 2024
Hannah Frye
Beauty & Health Editor
By Hannah Frye
Beauty & Health Editor
Hannah Frye is the Beauty & Health Editor at mindbodygreen. She has a B.S. in journalism and a minor in women’s, gender, and queer studies from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Hannah has written across lifestyle sections including beauty, women’s health, mental health, sustainability, social media trends, and more. She previously worked for Almost 30, a top-rated health and wellness podcast. In her current role, Hannah reports on the latest beauty trends and innovations, women’s health research, brain health news, and plenty more.
Image by Death to the Stock Photo
September 23, 2024

If you're the type of person who has three beverages on their desk at all times, listen up: A meta-analysis compared how six different types of popular drinks impact cardiovascular health and mortality risk.

The findings could influence your go-to bev lineup, so let's dive in. 

How popular drinks impact cardiovascular health

A meta-analysis published in the journal American Society for Nutrition analyzed 20 different clinical studies to find the cardiovascular risks associated with six different beverages:

  • Tea
  • Coffee
  • Fruit juice
  • Energy drinks
  • Alcohol
  • Sugar-sweetened or artificially sweetened beverage

They found that long-term consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) and alcohol increased the risk of cardiovascular mortality for both males and females.

Researchers were unable to determine the cardiovascular risk of fruit juices (which tend to be high in natural sugar) and energy drinks due to a lack of substantial data.

Still, previous research suggests energy drinks may be associated with cardiac arrhythmias, cardiac arrest, and myocardial ischemia1 (low blood flow, which can lead to blocked arteries).

So it's fairly certain to say that energy drinks should probably be on the list of less-frequent consumption, even if there wasn't quite enough data to meta-analyze their impact on heart health in this review.

Why is sugar bad for the heart?

Sugar can raise your blood pressure, which leads to an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, heart disease, and more. In moderation and when accompanied by an otherwise healthy diet, sugar isn't going to automatically raise your BP. In short, it's something you should be mindful of for the sake of cardiovascular health.

Interestingly, another research study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition around the same time investigated whether physical activity could combat the effects of sugar-sweetened or artificially sweetened beverages2 on cardiovascular disease. 

In this study, comprised of 100,000 adults, those who drank SSBs more than twice a week had a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, regardless of recommended levels of physical activity. 

Now, don't get it twisted—exercise is great for the heart. However, this study suggests it may not fully diminish the negative effects of excessive sugary drinks, serving as another reason to be mindful of sugar intake. 

Neither of these studies included the impact of the occasional sugar-sweetened beverage, so don't go overboard with restriction. Instead, just be mindful of how much sugar is in the drinks you're reaching for daily.

What to reach for instead

So, if you are that person who keeps a roundtable of beverages at all times, consider picking something lower in sugar when possible and saving those SSBs for special occasions. Below, a list of some A+ options to help inspire your next beverage break: 

Reminder: When in doubt, check the label

Prepackaged coconut water, coffee drinks, and fruit juices can have heaps of hidden added sugar even if the packaging is covered in buzzwords like "natural" or "healthy." If you want to be sure to consume low-sugar drinks, always check the label. Aim to keep your daily intake of added sugars under 5 teaspoons (20 grams).

The takeaway

A meta-analysis review study found that long-term sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption increased the risk of cardiovascular mortality for both males and females. While this is important to note for daily habits, it's not an end-all-be-all discussion for the occasional sugar-sweetened beverage.

After all, life is all about balance. If you feel a sugar craving coming on but want to skip the sweet drinks, these foods may help.

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