Sugar the new "bad guy" for heart health

[Teenytoona]

Interesting how they're now claiming sugar is bad for your heart is a new thing. Ah, well...

[spughy]

I was just coming to post about this.

I wonder if many people will notice that one can of pop a day (what most people would consider "moderate") puts you way, way over the recommended max.

On pondering, I am heartened to notice that our daily added sugar intake - averaged over time, since we certainly don't eat things with added sugar every day - despite having had a fairly relaxed summer, TF-wise - is far, far below the recommended max. For me & DD at least... I think DH does bad things at work, and I know he gets at least 1 tsp in his coffee...

ETA: Anyone else suspect this new direction might be partly funded by the artificial sweetener industry?

[Viola]

It basically sounds like what they are saying is extra sugar is extra calories you don't need, which is increasing weight gain which is what is bad for your heart, and they are saying it is simple arithmetic. Hmmm. Oh, and inconclusive evidence that it can increase blood pressure. Well, that's interesting, but I wonder if it is purely sugar that does that.

In terms of triglycerides and all that, starchy carbs were never good for that.

I'm wondering if part of what is going on is that if you eat calories from sugar, you don't eat enough of the things that are actually good for your heart. I know some people who drink sodas replace food with them...like my husband.

[tanyalynn]

The idea may sell better to people if you point out the "extra calories" aspect, but I was thrilled to see the article regardless of their reasoning. Sugar = no nutrition, extra stress on the body, more refined foods, lots of things that do absolutely nothing good for overall health. :

[Lilcrunchie]

Insulin, insulin, insulin.

I have PCOS and insulin resistance (well, I don't technically test + for it via a glucose tolerance test w/ insulin levels, but I get my cycles on metformin and lowish carb eating). I am not overweight. My BMI etc. are right smack dab in the middle of normal.

I think the numbers i've seen are that at least 20% or so of the population has insulin resistance or markers of metabolic syndrome. For those people the food guide pyramid is a death sentence IMO.

[Dillpicklechip]

Originally Posted by Viola

I
I'm wondering if part of what is going on is that if you eat calories from sugar, you don't eat enough of the things that are actually good for your heart. I know some people who drink sodas replace food with them...like my husband.

I doubt this will make you feel better, but my husband does the same thing...he eats very little during the day, but drinks Coke all the time instead. I've been trying for years to get him to stop drinking it, but to no avail.

[Brown Lioness]

So does this mean that the food industry to gonna start coming out with all kinds of low-sugar, no-sugar (read: artificial sweetners galore) crud instead?

Ugh, my mother would love that, she's a Splenda junkie.

[Purple Sage]

Originally Posted by Lilcrunchie

Insulin, insulin, insulin.

I have PCOS and insulin resistance (well, I don't technically test + for it via a glucose tolerance test w/ insulin levels, but I get my cycles on metformin and lowish carb eating). I am not overweight. My BMI etc. are right smack dab in the middle of normal.

I think the numbers i've seen are that at least 20% or so of the population has insulin resistance or markers of metabolic syndrome. For those people the food guide pyramid is a death sentence IMO.

Exactly, only I would bet the number of people with too much insulin is way more than 20% considering the number of people who are overweight and the fact that most people die from diseases caused by excess insulin, including heart disease. Excess insulin can be a problem for a long time before any outward signs show up.

I am also leery of anything the AHA says because I feel they are motivated to make their "statements" based on money. No doubt in my mind that artificial sweeteners play a part in this new position. I won't be holding my breath for the AHA to come out and say that ALL carbs (except fiber) are basically sugar and will raise insulin and therefore contribute to heart disease. They're focusing on "added sugar" because it's a profitable problem to "fix" in their minds.

[Lilcrunchie]

Originally Posted by Purple Sage

Exactly, only I would bet the number of people with too much insulin is way more than 20% considering the number of people who are overweight and the fact that most people die from diseases caused by excess insulin, including heart disease. Excess insulin can be a problem for a long time before any outward signs show up.

I am also leery of anything the AHA says because I feel they are motivated to make their "statements" based on money. No doubt in my mind that artificial sweeteners play a part in this new position. I won't be holding my breath for the AHA to come out and say that ALL carbs (except fiber) are basically sugar and will raise insulin and therefore contribute to heart disease. They're focusing on "added sugar" because it's a profitable problem to "fix" in their minds.

I agree w/ you that the number is realistically higher than 20%, but I often see 20-25% cited. But ITA that it is probably far higher. I remember coming across something not long ago that showed almost half or over half of adults had some sort of impaired glucose tolerance/insulin resistance. Maybe it wasn't (yet) full blown but they were at least well on their way to IR, type 2 diabetes, etc.