Have you seen advertisements and publicity for National Wear Red Day and the Go Red for Women campaign? Maybe you’ve heard that heart disease is the number one killer of women in the US? More bad news has been found for those trying to prevent heart disease: A new study released in the JAMA Internal Medicine has found that there is another cause of heart disease: added sugar in your diet! Many Americans consume 15% of their calories from added sugar. This is a recipe for disaster and can increase your risk of heart disease. The study showed that people who consumed between 17 and 21% of their calories from sugar have a 38% higher risk of death from heart disease than people who consume less than 10% of their calories from added sugar. 21% of a 2,000 calorie per day diet is the equivalent of 420 calories or 3 cans of regular soda per day.
We’ve all known that too much sugar causes obesity and can lead to diabetes, but the news that it is linked with cardiovascular disease is surprising. Although the American Beverage Association claims that the study is is an observational study and doesn’t indicate that added sugar causes heart disease, it’s worth reducing sugar in your diet and looking more closely at the level of sugar added to the food you consume. Most women still believe that heart disease is a “man’s” disease and that they are immune. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case and women need to pay attention to their health, get tested for heart disease risk factors and make exercise a habit. The American Heart Association provides tips on how to live healthier and prevent, possible even reverse, heart disease. Today is a great day to start!
Written by www.labtestingnow.com