Occasional sweet treat may be healthier than no sugar at all, study finds
Scientists in Sweden studied nearly 70,000 people over 22 years and found that people who had the occasional sweet treat had better health outcomes than people who had no treats at all.
Tuesday 10 December 2024 16:08, UK
Sugary drinks are very bad for you, but the occasional sweet treat could actually be good for your health, according to a new study.
Scientists in Sweden studied nearly 70,000 people over two decades and came to a sensible-sounding conclusion: a little bit of what you fancy does you good - unless what you fancy is liquid sugar.
They looked at three types of sugar consumption: toppings such as honey, treats like a pastry and sweetened beverages such as fizzy drinks.
They also studied seven cardiovascular diseases: two types of stroke, heart attacks, heart failure, aortic aneurysms, atrial fibrillation, and aortic stenosis.
Their study, published on Monday in the Frontiers science journal, showed different types of sugar consumption had wildly different impacts on cardiovascular health.
"This surprising contrast highlights the importance of considering not just the amount of sugar consumed, but its source and context," said Suzanne Janzi, PhD candidate at Lund University, who authored the article.
Consuming sweet drinks was worse for your health than any other form of sugar and "significantly" increased the risk of ischemic stroke, heart failure, atrial fibrillation and abdominal aortic aneurysm.
"Liquid sugars, found in sweetened beverages, typically provide less satiety than solid forms - they make you feel less full - potentially leading to overconsumption," said Ms Janzi.
"Context also matters - treats are often enjoyed in social settings or special occasions, while sweetened beverages might be consumed more regularly."
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However, people who had the occasional sweet treat had better health outcomes than people who had no treats at all.
"This might reflect underlying dietary behaviours - individuals consuming very little sugar might have very restrictive diets or might be limiting sugar due to pre-existing health conditions," suggested Ms Janzi.
"These findings suggest that extremely low sugar intake may not be necessary or beneficial for cardiovascular health."
"This is an observational study which cannot prove cause. All soft drinks are safe to consume as part of a balanced diet.
"The soft drinks sector is full of innovation, offering consumers the widest possible choice of products to enjoy," said Gavin Partington, director general of the British Soft Drinks Association.
According to his organisation, in 2023, more than seven out of every 10 soft drinks sold in the UK was low or no sugar while between March 2014 and March 2020, take home sugar from soft drinks fell by 43.5%.