Sugar and Heart Disease

It isn't just the fats in your diet that can affect your risk of heart disease. The sugar (of all types) counts as well. Added sweeteners in foods may contribute to heart disease by pushing down your good (HDL) cholesterol (the higher your HDL, the better) and raising triglycerides (the lower the better). According to a study from Emory  University and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people who received at least 25 percent of their daily calories from any type of sweetener had more than triple the normal risk of having low HDL levels than those who consumed less than five percent of their calories from sweeteners. Beyond that, those whose sugar intake made up 17.5 percent or more of daily calories were 20 to 30 percent more likely to have high triglycerides. The links between sweets and blood fats were independent of the fat and cholesterol provided in high fat foods and other risk factors for heart disease. Investigators looked at data collected from more than 6,000 adults. Overall, they concluded that Americans consume an average of 21.4 teaspoons of added sugars daily - about 16 percent of total calories.

My take? These findings are further evidence that keeping your sugar intake low is healthy. You can cut back on added sweeteners by avoiding processed and prepared foods that are high in sugar. Instead, try to satisfy your sweet tooth with natural fat-free treats such as dried fruit, hard candy, fruit ices (sorbets or water ices) or - my personal favorite - bites of pure maple sugar.

Comments

[nahid]

Dear Dr. Weil,
you continue to promote fish with high fat content, however it is proven that most metals stay in the fat and most fatty fish are very bad to eat.
In Europe they ask not to eat farmed fish as they are fed from small pellet from fish , taken out of very pollute d areas.
I would love to hear you comments.
Nahid

[moderator44@drweil.com]

Nahid
Dr. Weil is also against farmed fish. Is that what you meant?

Facts About Fish - Dr. Weil
... recent studies found can accumulate in the fat of farmed salmon at unhealthy levels.
As for other fish, be aware that larger, more carnivorous fish are more ...
- 24k

[Louise]

Dr. Weil,
You talk about an overconsumption of sugar, but in most of your recipes, you add sugar, instead of stevia, for example. And, you don't list the sugars on the nutritional information of recipes. How come?

[Louise]

I've heard that agave nectar is the new high fructose corn syrup. What do you think, Dr. Weil?

[moderator44@drweil.com]

Louise:
Agave has been getting a lot of bad press recently in connection with its fructose content. In fact, the fructose in it accounts for its low glycemic load. The body does not metabolize this natural sugar well, so it does not readily raise blood sugar (glucose) levels. In moderate amounts - as in fruit, honey, and agave - fructose in the diet is not a concern. Very large amounts, as one might get through high consumption of sugary drinks made with high fructose corn syrup, probably affect liver function and promote insulin resistance and obesity in many people. In the animal study you mention, the doses given were huge. So I wouldn't worry about the effect on your liver of modest quantities of agave or fructose.
I am troubled, however, about the health effects of large amounts of sugar and high fructose corn syrup in the diet. Americans over the age of two consume more than 300 calories daily from caloric sweeteners, one-sixth of their average daily calories. Measured against those amounts the fructose coming from agave products is insignificant.

My main concern about agave is not possible effects on liver function or health but rather its sustainability as a food source since demand may soon exceed supply.

Andrew Weil, M.D
As to sugar in recipes--of course you can substitute if you like.
I recommend cutting down or eliminating sugar if you experience mood swings, fluctuating energy levels, suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, or have frequent vaginal yeast infections. You may notice an improvement in your moods, a lessening of your arthritis symptoms and the frequency of yeast infections when you reduce or eliminate the sugar in your diet.
Dr. Weil says