How much sugar are we actually talking about?
This is where reading the label becomes important.
The American Heart Association gives a useful benchmark: it recommends limiting added sugars to no more than about 25 grams per day for most women and 36 grams per day for men. www.heart.org+1
A regular 12-ounce can of soda can contain roughly 10 teaspoons of added sugar, according to the AHA. www.heart.org
That means a single drink can consume a substantial portion — or even more than the entire day's recommended amount — before a person has considered the sugar in breakfast, snacks, desserts, sauces or other drinks.
And serving sizes can be much larger than 12 ounces.
A large bottle may contain multiple servings.
That creates another trap: someone might look at the nutrition label and think, “That's not too bad.”
But the number may apply to only one serving rather than the entire container.
The problem isn't limited to cola
One of the most important details is that “sugary drinks” means much more than traditional soda.
The category can include:
- Regular soft drinks
- Sweetened iced tea
- Lemonade
- Sports drinks
- Energy drinks
- Sweetened fruit beverages
- Sweetened waters
- Some flavored coffees
The CDC specifically includes these beverages among sugar-sweetened drinks. CDC
That means replacing cola with another heavily sweetened beverage doesn't necessarily solve the underlying problem.
A drink can look healthier because of its packaging, branding or ingredients and still contain a substantial amount of added sugar.
What happens when sugar enters the bloodstream?
After a sugary drink is consumed, its carbohydrates are digested and absorbed, increasing blood glucose.
The pancreas responds by releasing insulin, a hormone that helps move glucose from the bloodstream into cells.
This is a normal process.
The problem arises when the body is repeatedly exposed to excess energy and high amounts of added sugar over the long term.
Excess calorie intake can contribute to weight gain and increased body fat, while metabolic changes can contribute to insulin resistance and eventually type 2 diabetes in susceptible people.
And diabetes itself is an important cardiovascular risk factor.
This is one reason the relationship between sugary drinks and heart health cannot simply be reduced to the statement, “sugar goes into your blood.”
It is about the long-term metabolic environment created by habitual dietary patterns.
What about cholesterol and triglycerides?
There is another part of the story that has attracted researchers' attention.
Triglycerides are a type of fat found in the blood. Persistently elevated triglyceride levels can contribute to cardiovascular risk.
The American Heart Association has reported research finding an association between frequent sugary-drink consumption and unfavorable blood-lipid patterns, including higher triglycerides and lower HDL (“good”) cholesterol. www.heart.org
Importantly, studies like these do not automatically prove that a particular drink directly causes heart disease in every individual.
That's an important distinction.
Health research often examines patterns across large groups of people. Individual outcomes can differ depending on genetics, overall diet, physical activity, body weight, smoking, sleep, existing medical conditions and many other factors.
So the viral phrase “liquid death” should be understood as dramatic rhetoric, not a medical diagnosis.
A can of soda is not literally poison that instantly damages the heart.
The concern is the long-term pattern of frequent consumption.
