- Researchers investigated the effects of different carbohydrates on cardiovascular health.
- They found that consuming more added sugars increases cardiovascular risk, and that more dietary fiber decreases cardiovascular risk.
- Reducing the intake of added sugars could reduce cardiovascular risk.
Sugars are carbohydrates that occur in two varieties: free and non-free sugars.
“Free sugars” include sugars added to foods and drinks such as chocolate and flavored yogurts. They are also in honey, unsweetened fruit juices, and vegetable juices.
Non-free sugars occur in foods such as vegetables, grains, and dairy products. As these sugars are contained within cell walls, they are harder for the body to absorb and don’t generate the same “sugar high” as free sugars.
Higher free sugar intake correlates to higher triglyceride levelsTrusted Source, which are linked to ischemic heart disease — reduced blood flow to the heart. Studies also suggest that high fiber intake — another type of carbohydrate — is linked to a lower risk for heart disease.
Understanding how carbohydrate intake influences health could lead to better preventive strategies for cardiovascular health.
Recently, researchers analyzed health data to understand more about how carbohydrates relate to cardiovascular risk.
They found higher free sugar intake is linked to higher cardiovascular disease incidence and triglyceride levels.
“Added sugars found in sweet snacks and sugary drinks are just as bad for us as our parents said – if not even worse,” Dr. Daniel Atkinson, GP Clinical Lead at Treated, not involved in the study, told Medical News Today.
“It’s not just our teeth they can damage, but the health of our heart as well. If you want to make some changes to look after your heart health, cutting out cola is probably more helpful than cutting out crisps,” Dr. Atkinson noted.
The study was published in BMC MedicineTrusted Source.
For the study, the researchers analyzed healthcare data from 110,497 participants in the UK Biobank study.
Participants recorded what they ate over 24 hours between 2-5 occasions. The researchers compared this data with health records detailing the diagnosis of cardiovascular conditions and risk factors such as triglyceride levels. Participants were followed for an average of 9.4 years.
Over the follow-up period, the researchers recorded 4,188 cases of cardiovascular disease, 3,138 cases of ischemic heart disease, and 1,124 cases of stroke.
They found that those with a higher intake of free sugars were at a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. Meanwhile, those who consumed more fiber had a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.From further analysis, the researchers found that higher free sugar intake was linked to higher triglyceride levels. They also found that replacing 5% of energy from free sugars with non-free sugars was linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.
Dr. Elexander Atkinson, family medicine doctor at Novant Health in Charlotte, NC, not involved in the study, told MNT that one of the study’s main takeaways is that different kinds of carbohydrates affect cardiovascular risk differently.
“The problem is simple, refined, and processed carbohydrates — in excess. The study actually found that higher levels of fiber- a carbohydrate- reduced the risk of heart disease,” Dr. Atkinson explained.
When asked how added sugars may increase cardiovascular risk, he said:
“It does this in many ways. It increases your risk for diabetes, which is a major risk factor for heart disease. It can also increase your blood pressure, which is also a major risk factor for heart disease.
Metabolically, your body may not be able to process all of this sugar in a healthy way, and that can cause an increase in your triglycerides, which was seen in this study. Triglycerides are also related to heart disease. People who eat more sugar are more likely to be overweight, and again this is a risk factor for heart disease.”
MNT also spoke with Dr. John Higgins, a sports cardiologist at the UTHealth Science Center at Houston – McGovern Medical School and the Memorial Hermann Ironman Sports Medicine Institute, Houston, TX. Dr. Higgins noted that high added sugar intake could also increase inflammation and cause vascular dysfunction, which increases cardiovascular risk.
Dr. Humair Mirza, a cardiologist with Memorial Hermann in Houston, Texas, not involved in the study, told MNT: “This is an indirect association. It is, in addition, unclear if the link is due to increased caloric intake and weight gain, or other lifestyle factors that may co-exist, such as smoking, lack of exercise, other food choices, or due to excess consumption of refined carbohydrates such as high-fructose corn syrup used to sweeten beverages.”
The researchers concluded that different types of carbohydrates affect cardiovascular risk differently.
Dr. Elexander Atkinson, family medicine doctor at Novant Health in Charlotte, NC, not involved in the study, told MNT that one of the study’s main takeaways is that different kinds of carbohydrates affect cardiovascular risk differently.
“The problem is simple, refined, and processed carbohydrates — in excess. The study actually found that higher levels of fiber- a carbohydrate- reduced the risk of heart disease,” Dr. Atkinson explained.
When asked how added sugars may increase cardiovascular risk, he said:
“It does this in many ways. It increases your risk for diabetes, which is a major risk factor for heart disease. It can also increase your blood pressure, which is also a major risk factor for heart disease.
Metabolically, your body may not be able to process all of this sugar in a healthy way, and that can cause an increase in your triglycerides, which was seen in this study. Triglycerides are also related to heart disease. People who eat more sugar are more likely to be overweight, and again this is a risk factor for heart disease.”
MNT also spoke with Dr. John Higgins, a sports cardiologist at the UTHealth Science Center at Houston – McGovern Medical School and the Memorial Hermann Ironman Sports Medicine Institute, Houston, TX. Dr. Higgins noted that high added sugar intake could also increase inflammation and cause vascular dysfunction, which increases cardiovascular risk.
Dr. Humair Mirza, a cardiologist with Memorial Hermann in Houston, Texas, not involved in the study, told MNT: “This is an indirect association. It is, in addition, unclear if the link is due to increased caloric intake and weight gain, or other lifestyle factors that may co-exist, such as smoking, lack of exercise, other food choices, or due to excess consumption of refined carbohydrates such as high-fructose corn syrup used to sweeten beverages.”
The researchers concluded that different types of carbohydrates affect cardiovascular risk differently.
Beata Rydyger, BSc, RHN, Registered Nutritionist based in Los Angeles, CA, not involved in the study, told MNT:
“The authors themselves suggest that increasing fiber intake and replacing refined grains and free sugars with whole grains and non-free sugars (natural sugars found in fruits for example), may prevent cardiovascular disease. This helps to further validate the idea that the quality, rather than quantity, of carbs that we eat is important for health.”
Dr. Higgens added: “Avoiding adding sugar to food or beverages can lead to reduced cardiovascular risk. In addition, increasing fiber and replacing refined sugars with wholegrain starch and non-free sugars may protect against cardiovascular disease.”
“So get rid of the sugar bowl from the table or coffee/tea room, and instead, get wholegrain starches (Wheat, oats, barley, rye and rice) and sugar from fresh fruits (e.g. bananas, raspberries, strawberries & red grapes) and vegetables instead,” he concluded.
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