Scientists just connected this daily habit to higher blood pressure

 I don't do these at all.

Scientists just connected this daily habit to higher blood pressure

What you sip throughout the day may have more of an impact than you realize.

Key Points

• High blood pressure is common and increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.
• Consuming sugar-sweetened beverages may increase the risk of high blood pressure.
• Swap sugar-sweetened drinks for less-sweet options like iced tea or fruit-infused water.

Hypertension—aka high blood pressure—is a common risk factor for heart disease and stroke. It’s so common that about half of U.S. adults have the condition, defined as a consistent blood pressure reading greater than 130/80 or taking blood pressure medication. And though we often consider hypertension a problem for adults, kids and teenagers are increasingly being diagnosed with the condition.

While you’ve probably heard that consuming too much sodium is a risk factor for high blood pressure, there’s also a lesser-known potential risk factor for hypertension—fructose. Fructose is a type of simple sugar found naturally in whole fruit, fruit juice and honey. But it can also be manufactured and added to other foods, including sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), like sodas, fruit “juice” beverages and sports drinks, as well as yogurt, breakfast cereals, baked goods and fruit packs.

Excessive fructose intake, particularly from liquid sources, is metabolized in the liver, where it can lead to increased production of uric acid. Elevated uric acid can damage the inner lining of blood vessels, affecting their function and contributing to increased blood pressure. In addition, excess fructose intake encourages the liver to increase the production of triglycerides and very-low-density lipoproteins. This combination of high triglycerides and very-low-density lipoproteins, in addition to hypertension, further increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. : Cardiologists reveal the truth about salt and blood pressure (Talking With Docs)There has been on-going debate over whether fructose found naturally in foods has differing effects on the body compared to added fructose. And since younger people may be more likely to reach for juice and sugar-sweetened drinks, Harvard and University of Toronto researchers examined whether fructose intake during childhood and adolescence increased the risk of hypertension in adulthood. Let’s break down the study and its findings.

How Was This Study Conducted?

 Data was drawn from GUTS—the Growing Up Today Study. The study was originally two phases: GUTS I was initiated in 1996 and included nearly 17,000 U.S. children, ages 9 to 14 at baseline, and GUTS II started in 2004 and included about 11,000 U.S. children, ages 9 to 16 at baseline. The two enrollment phases were merged in 2013, with the combined cohort totaling nearly 26,000 participants, 55% of them female. Participants were followed for up to 25 years. From 1996 to 2001, participant questionnaires were completed annually, and then every two to four years from that point on, reporting usual diet, anthropometrics (height and weight), lifestyle factors and health status. For diet, researchers were particularly interested in how much participants were consuming sugar-sweetened beverages, fruit juices and whole fruits. A serving was specified as a can or glass for sugar-sweetened beverages and a glass for fruit juices. Sugar-sweetened beverages included sodas, fruit drinks (like punches and iced teas) and sports drinks. Fruit juices were defined as orange juice, apple juice or other 100% fruit juices. Whole fruits were defined as apples, oranges, bananas, mangos, grapes, pears, melons, strawberries and peaches. From participants’ food diaries, researchers calculated total fructose equivalents (TFEs) so that amounts could be grouped into quintiles and compared with hypertension risk. From 2010 to 2021, participants were asked about hypertension diagnoses and to indicate the year of diagnosis. During the study period, 1,625 participants (just over 6%) reported a hypertension diagnosis.

What Did This Study Find?

Researchers ran statistical analyses and adjusted for certain potential confounding factors, including consumption of red and processed meats, fruits, vegetables and whole grains, as well as physical activity, screen time and sleep duration. These are all factors that could influence the results.

Initially, after adjusting for lifestyle and dietary factors, the total fructose equivalents did not correlate with a higher risk of hypertension. However, when researchers considered the source and amount of fructose, the picture changed.

• Higher intake of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) was significantly associated with a higher risk of hypertension. Compared with the reference group (<3 servings per week), individuals in the highest category of SSB intake (≥2 servings per day) had a higher risk of developing hypertension. Having a serving per day of SSBs was associated with a 14% higher risk of hypertension. Each daily serving of soda and sports drinks was associated with a 23% and 36% higher risk of hypertension, respectively.
• Higher intake of fruit juice was associated with a higher risk of hypertension. Individuals in the highest category of fruit juice intake (≥1.5 servings per day) also had the highest risk of developing hypertension.
• Eating fruit didn’t raise hypertension risk. Higher intake of whole fruit (≥1.5 servings per day) compared with the reference (<1 serving per week) was not associated with hypertension risk. And when researchers divided fruit into temperate versus tropical fruits, there was still no association with hypertension risk.

Researchers then considered what would happen if participants swapped certain foods with other foods:

• Replacing one serving per day of sugar-sweetened beverages with one serving per day of whole fruit, milk or water was associated with a lower risk of hypertension by 22%, 13% and 9%, respectively.
• Replacing one serving per day of fruit juice with one serving per day of whole fruit was associated with 19% lower risk of hypertension.
• No association with hypertension was found for replacing sugar-sweetened beverages with fruit juice or replacing fruit juice with milk or water.

Limitations of this study include that all of the data used were self-reported. This leaves lots of room for recall error, subjective measurement error and bias. For example, researchers state that orange-flavored fruit drinks with added sugars are commonly consumed by younger children and may have been reported as orange juice intake. This means that the findings about fruit juice may not be as accurate, as researchers primarily found a connection between hypertension and orange juice, not apple juice or other juices.

Because it was an observational study, all potential confounding factors could not be adjusted for. And since the study population was 96% non-Hispanic white, it is unknown if these same results can be extended to other populations.

How Does This Apply to Real Life?

Sugar-sweetened beverages have increasingly been indicted for having negative health consequences, including for repercussions for heart health, insulin resistance and oral health. As previously mentioned, when fructose is broken down in the liver, it triggers a series of effects that may increase your risk of high blood pressure.

One message we can glean from this study is that added sugars, including those found in sugar-sweetened beverages, might not be a great addition to your everyday routine. But natural sugars, like those found in fruit, should not be feared.

And if you reach for whole fruits instead of a soda when you want something sweet, you’ll be adding powerful nutrients that will support the health of your body and brain.

If you’ve got a habit of reaching for SSBs, start by swapping one a day with whole fruit, milk or water—and progressively swap another out each week until you’ve kicked the habit. If you’re surprised that cow’s milk is encouraged, it’s because it contains nutrients that are helpful for blood pressure, including calcium, potassium and bioactive peptides.

Need more ideas for no-added-sugar sipping? Here are a few of our favorites:

Our Expert Take

This study suggests that sugar-sweetened beverages may increase the risk of high blood pressure, partly due to their fructose content. While drinking a sugar-sweetened drink now and then is fine for most people, making it a daily habit may have negative health consequences, including increasing blood pressure levels. Instead, if you’re thirsty, reach for water, milk or maybe some unsweetened tea.

Other habits that influence blood pressure include your diet as a whole, physical activity, stress and sleep. Choose whole foods most of the time, move your body as often as you can, find ways to lower your stress levels and do what you can to improve the quality and quantity of your sleep. The benefits will extend far beyond your blood pressure, as you’ll also reduce other chronic disease risk and improve the quality of your life.

Read the original article on EatingWell