If you’ve been diagnosed with high blood pressure, your well-meaning doctor probably told you to cut down on FAT and SALT!
But a new study published in American Journal of Cardiology reveals another common ingredient that’s much, much worse for blood pressure.
People who consume most of this ingredient have up to 76% higher blood pressure and are twice as likely to develop chronic hypertension than those who consume less.
The worst part is, you’re most definitely consuming this ingredient every day yourself.
We all know that sugar is related to risk of developing obesity, which in turn is a risk factor for hypertension. However, recently researchers have found that sugar can directly cause high blood pressure even if obesity is absent.
The study team gathered data on nearly 400,000 people from 12 previously published studies and analyzed them for common health trends.
What they discovered was that people who consume 3 or more sugary beverages (sodas, sugary fruit juices etc) had 26 to 76 percent higher blood pressure than those who drank little or no sweetened drinks. And they were almost twice as likely to develop chronic hypertension than non-sugar-drinkers.
The largest impact on high blood pressure was contributed by sugared drinks that have no other nutritional value (did someone say cola?).
So how exactly does sugar cause high blood pressure?
You see, sugar decreases the level of nitric oxide in the system, which is essential for dilation of blood vessels.
It also cause magnesium deficiency – essential mineral to manage blood pressure. When metabolizing sugar, magnesium is used up and ultimately the mineral gets depleted in the system.
High blood pressure is just one of many things sugar and high fructose corn syrup causes. It contributes to almost all progressive diseases such as type 2 diabetes, arthritis and even cancer.
This is so true! Added sugar is the worse of all!! I recently completely cut down on sugar, sugary drinks and sweets and feel the major difference in my health. My blood pressure dropped and I feel more energized.
I heard about this natural sweetener called Stevia, anybody had experience with it?
I do not use artificial sweeteners, they are even worse than sugar and taste horrible. I think honey is also a good alternative to replace sugar.
Everywhere you look are sweets, sugary drinks, “healthy” fat free yogurt loaded with sugar, “healthy” juices with tons of sugar, all kind of cereals and most of the foods. We are so afraid of fats, that we forget that sugar is much worse!
For example dental cavities are caused by sugar, type 2 diabetes, Arthritis, obesity and according to this study high blood pressure as well…
Thanks for informative post Christian 🙂
Absolutely agree. Sugar and specially high fructose corn syrup is the biggest health hazard we face. Even worse that cigarettes ever were.
Absolutely true. About five years ago, I was feeling REAL BAD – and I had not been to a doctor in over 13 years (my M.D., who was also my good friend, had passed away). I walked into a no-appt. “clinic”, where an office visit could be had for $85. To make a long story short, my blood pressure was 300/200. They called the hospital, and a place was made ready for me.
Anyhow, later, my attending cardiologist asked me about my habits, and, besides bourbon, I had been consuming around TWO Cokes (with salted peanuts poured-in, of course!) just about every day. She said THAT was probably the “kicker”, and strongly suggested I stop. I did.
Now, I take medication, but am also doing the Tibetan Rites exercises in the morning. I am very fit, but have damaged my kidneys, and must be careful. I have begun raising commercial garlic and other essentials of good health, and am considering trying the “exercise” program this site vends.
DIET AND EXERCISE is really all that matters!
Totally agree Charlieboy (and everyone else) – “diet and exercises is the key to a healthy living” and cutting out sugar goes a long way.
It's really frightening. It is sugar every day, every time. Nowadays, is there anything safe for our lives?
It's really frightening. It is sugar every day, every time. Nowadays, is there anything safe for our lives?
This is very informative.I will henceforth cut down on my sugar intake.However how about natural fruits tha
t contain sugar like apples, banana,oranges etc ?
If sugar can do this and almost the food we consumed here in Nigeria is nothing but sugar, what kind of food and drink are we going be taken. will it be possible for our government to advise the manufacturers of different type of colas to come up with something better than sugared colas I think it will help a lot.
Anonymous – don’t hesitate to eat fruits even if they’re high in natural sugars. The fiber in the fruit slows down the sugar delivery to the blood so they’re not harmful at all.
– Christian G
Since I stop entirely to use salt and sugar( for good few years) my HBP is under control.I am eating almost everything and HBP is within the limits.
Before eating I ALWAYS check the labels.This way I find out how to control my diet numbers.
The magic in this is self control.
I would be more concerned about high fructose corn syrup. For one thing, it might come from GM corn.
Lots of soft drinks including some iced teas have this rather than good old sugar.
Coke in Mexico has real sugar. As I recall, it has HFCS in the US.
Read the labels on so many foods and you may find both sugar AND soy. More GM possibilities.
Molly Moshe! many foods are safe to use if you use them in moderation
Just read properly the labels.Any problems with that ask the professionals.
So what’s the cutoff point? How many grams a day is too much? There is sugar in fruits and even in plain Greek yogurt and vegetables. What amount a day is safe?
So what’s the cutoff point? How many grams a day is too much? There is sugar in fruits and even in plain Greek yogurt and vegetables. What amount a day is safe?
Also consider that the definition for high blood pressure has been lowered over the last 40 years. Blood pressure normal range used to be considered 100 plus your age. I guess during this time. It was understood that as you grow older you have blood vessels become more stiff and so then your body requires more pressure to push the blood and nutrients around your body. Also they are finding out currently having someone who is over 60 attempt against their blood pressure to 120 with medication that this can cause many seniors to become dizzy lightheaded and fall.
I really do question whether or not the public is being duped into taking this class of medications. With all that said I do agree that sugar is a culprit and high blood pressure as well as table salt.natural salt would still have a lot of minerals I believe is very very good for you. Perhaps more magnesium would help blood pressure instead of high blood pressure medications. People defining what blood pressure should be and who established guidelines for the tend to have direct financial ties to the pharmaceutical companies.
I’m sorry for something I’m saying this is being done on a cell phone and its hard to see the mistakes much less correct them.
Sugar definitely depletes magnesium which affects bp and more importantly heart rate. I used to suffer high bp and irregular heart beat. After years of experimenting I have found reducing sugar and a balanced intake of calcium/ magnesium did the trick. There is a great supplement commercially available if you google it. I can also recommend Christians bp program the exercises are very relaxing.hope this helps someone out there as irregular heart rate is very scary.
I like canned chili beans. Then I found out most have sugar AND soy (GMO?) in them. I will certainly reduce my consumption.
Notice too that most canned tuna has soy oil added, even the water packed. Plus there is the problem of mercury in tuna today.
My comments are in the following
http://home.comcast.net/~sincero/StoppedMedications.htm
I had a soda last week at my grandsons graduation party. That made me even more thirty so I had another. I was reminded of how high fructose corn syrup makes a person more thirsty. That was the first soda I had had in years. It will be years before I have another.
Yes there are sugars in fruit, but they are NOT refined sugars and are not harmful. It is the refined sugars that are harmful.
I have cut down sugar and any drink that has sugar, but i sometimes take brown cake once in a month. My pressure has gone down but i am still on medication. i dont take soda any more this has helped me reduce blood pressure to 125/65. i thank God for that. My friend please work on this.
I work in a NH in my area. I am a BSN/RN and I am on my way to becoming Doctor in Public Health and Epidemiology – my chapter 1 of dissertation has been approved. i am currently working on chapter 2,3. I think you know where I am going.
While passing medications to residents from the cart, There were some residents that were on 18 to 20 medications at the time. None of those patients had medications to protect their livers. Being on that amount of medications , how will doctor know, what medication works on the body
because effects of one medication can affect others?
Where are Drs sitting on this issues in NH?
It is a big issue for me. Sugar is a big issue
Thank you
Sugar is definitely the No 1 Killer. However, there is nothing wrong with salt provided it is unprocessed sea salt and the bit about fat being bad is just plain wrong. There is not one study that has ever linked meat (unless it is hormone filled) and fat to heart disease or obesity. Quite the opposite as fat cannot be turned into fat by the body. Read books like ‘eat fat and get thin’. These books explain the science Behring it. In the UK the government recommendation is 10% saturated fat in your daily diet. Most indigenous tribes who don’t have western diseases are eating 60% + and all you see is lean healthy bodies free of disease.
Sugar is one kind of silent killer
I've always said that the biggest drug in the world. Is sugar.We have 10 times more deaths and illnesses. That are sugar related. More than cocaine and heron combined.
Why, in this article (and many others), is there no differentiation between Natural sugar and High Fructose Corn syrup (which is the real bad) !!
I do not drink soda, sugary drink or eat candy, yet my BP was through the roof.
I do NOT TAKE drugs, other than a B.P pill now. Took me a several yrs. to find one that agrees with me. Mine is primarily for Hypertension. Once all my 5 adult kids do REALLY BECOME ADULTS & stop all the worry they cause, I will be able to DITCH the B.P. drug. I won’t live forever. But do want to be Healthy as long as I am permitted to live in THIS WORLD. Most Drs. are not TRAINED in Healthy Foods, Drinks—only visited & TRAINED by DRUG PUSHERS—-LEGAL ones OF COURSE. HOW MANY DO WE READ OF DYING OF OVERTAKING PRESCRIPTION DRUGS. MOSTLY ALL ARE DRUGS FROM LEGAL Docs & RX.Alcohol, of course Legal everywhere.