Research does indicate that excess sugar consumption affects your blood pressure, but researchers are still understanding how and why. Your body is a complex piece of machinery, and as with most complex mechanisms, when one thing goes wrong, it can wreck havoc with the entire system. Dr. Robert Lustig believes so fervently that sugar is that one thing that in an Aug. 13, 2011, "New York Times" article, he labeled sugar as "poison." Lustig is a professor of clinical pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology at the University of California, San Francisco.
Overweight and Obese
Being either overweight or obese is a risk factor for hypertension. The clinical definition of obesity is having a body mass index of 30 or higher. Your BMI is based on your height and weight. When you consume too many sweets, you're adding lots of calories to your dietary intake, but no nutrients. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Americans receive the greatest number of empty calories through consumption of cakes, doughnuts, pastries, ice cream and cookies. Eventually those empty calories add up, especially when combined with a sedentary lifestyle, and obesity can result.
Research
If you have diabetes, your risk for hypertension can increase. High sugar consumption and sugar-sweetened soft drink intake corresponds with a higher risk for type 2 diabetes for black women, according to an article published in the July 28, 2008, issue of the "Archives of Internal Medicine." In the June 8, 2010, issue of "Circulation," researchers write that individuals who consumed the highest number of sugar-sweetened beverages each day also had a higher daily intake of total calories, total carbohydrates, fructose, sucrose, glucose and combined sugar. In the study, reduced sugar consumption resulted in lower blood pressure.
DASH
Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, or DASH, is an eating plan developed by scientists based on National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute sponsored research. The plan reduces total sugar and sodium consumption but increases daily portions of whole grains, fiber, vegetables and fruits. Following the DASH plan, you consume no more than 12 g of added sugars each week. The U.S. Department of Agriculture defines added sugars as caloric sweeteners that you add to foods or consume through processed foods. According to the Mayo Clinic, following the DASH eating plan can result in an 8- to 14-point drop in your blood pressure.
Guidelines
The average dietary sugar intake of Americans is 79 g per week, far greater than the 12 g allowed under the DASH plan. The USDA's 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that you consume no more than 32 g of added sugars each week.
References
- "The New York Times"; Is Sugar Toxic?; Gary Taubes; April 13, 2011
- National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute; What Are Overweight and Obesity?; Nov. 1, 2010
- United States Department of Agriculture: Empty Calories
- "Archives of Internal Medicine"; Sugar-Sweetened Beverages and Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in African American Women; Julie R. Palmer, Sc.D., et al.; July 28, 2008
- "Circulation"; Reducing Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Is Associated With Reduced Blood Pressure; Liwei Chen, M.D., Ph.D., et al.; June 8, 2010
- U.S. Department of Agriculture; Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010; 2010
- MayoClinic.com; DASH Diet: Healthy Eating to Lower Your Blood Pressure; May 15, 2010
