Occasional Sweets Won’t Raise Cardiovascular Risk but Sugary Drinks Can, Study Finds

To conduct the study, the researchers examined data from two large studies: the Swedish Mammography Cohort and the Cohort of Swedish Men.

They used diet questionnaires from these studies, done in 1997 and 2009, to get an idea of how people’s diets had changed.

After ensuring that the two sets of data met the same conditions for inclusion and excluding independent risk factors, nearly 70,000 participants were included in the study.

The research team then divided people’s sugar consumption into three categories: sugary toppings, treats, and sweetened drinks.

They additionally identified seven cardiovascular diseases, including atrial fibrillation, aortic aneurysms, aortic stenosis, ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, heart attack, and heart failure.

The study participants were monitored until they either died, were diagnosed with one of the diseases of interest, or at the end of the follow-up in 2019.

Altogether, almost 26,000 people ended up being diagnosed with cardiovascular disease.

The researchers used the data collected to analyze how the different patterns of sugar consumption influenced people’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

Sweetened drinks were found to have the worst effect on health, increasing the risk of ischemic stroke, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and aortic aneurysm.

Further, consuming more added sugar in general contributed to the risk of ischemic stroke, aortic aneurysm, and heart failure.

Having only occasional treats, however, yielded better results than having no treats, per the researchers.

While they were unable to explain this effect, they suggested that it might be because the individuals who ate no treats at all had highly restrictive diets or other health problems.

However, they believe these findings indicate that extremely low sugar intake may not be needed to benefit cardiovascular health.

Michelle Routhenstein, MS RD CDCES CDN, cardiology dietitian and owner at Entirely Nourished, explained the difference between sweetened drinks — for example, sodas, energy drinks, and sweetened teas or coffees — by saying that these beverages have a high glycemic index, which means they rapidly spike blood sugar levels.

“This leads to a corresponding spike in insulin, the hormone responsible for helping cells absorb glucose,” she added.

Routhenstein went on to explain that consistently consuming high-sugar drinks can overwhelm your body’s ability to handle the high influx of sugar.

This contributes to insulin resistance, she explained, which is a condition where your body’s cells lose their responsiveness to this hormone.

“Over time, this can result in impaired glucose metabolism, which is linked to increased fat storage, inflammation, and damage to blood vessels — all risk factors for cardiovascular disease,” said Routhenstein.

On the other hand, occasional treats do not create this state of overwhelm.

“Since they’re infrequent, they don’t create a pattern of chronic overconsumption, allowing the body to process glucose normally without long-term disruption to metabolic health,” she concluded.

Bharathi Ramesh, MS, who is a nutritionist and clinical research professional in New York, clarified the term, saying, “‘Occasional’ typically means consuming sweet treats sparingly — no more than once or twice a week, depending on overall dietary habits and individual health goals.”

Additionally, Ramesh noted that the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends keeping added sugar below 10% of daily calories.

“For example, in a 2,000-calorie diet, this amounts to less than 50 grams (about 12 teaspoons) of added sugar per day,” she said.

Ramesh offered the example of a standard 12-ounce can of soda, which contains about 35-50 grams of sugar. This already exceeds the AHA’s recommendation for most people, she said.

However, a smaller serving, such as 6 ounces, which has 18-20 grams, could potentially fit into your allowance if you avoid most other sugar sources.

“Similarly, a small treat, such as a single cookie or a modest slice of cake with about 15-20 grams of sugar, could also align with the daily limit,” said Ramesh, “provided overall sugar intake from other foods and drinks is carefully managed.”

She further advised that when buying sweet drinks, it’s essential to look for hidden sugars in beverages like flavored coffee, sports drinks, and fruit juices. These can add up quickly.

“Opting for water, unsweetened teas, or beverages with no added sugar helps maintain balance while allowing for occasional indulgences,” suggested Ramesh.

For sweet treats, she said it’s crucial to keep an eye on portion sizes in order to avoid exceeding the added sugar limit set by the AHA.

“Regular exercise and a well-balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains further mitigate the potential adverse effects of occasional sugary treats,” said Ramesh.

New research indicates that it’s not just how much sugar we are consuming but also the source and how often we have it.

Sugary drinks were associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease.

However, occasional sweet treats did not present this same risk.

Nutrition experts say regularly having sugary drinks spikes blood sugar and creates insulin resistance, which can increase your cardiovascular risk.

Occasional treats, however, do not overwhelm your body’s ability to handle the extra sugar.

The AHA recommends consuming no more than 10% of your daily calories in the form of added sugar. This equates to about 12 teaspoons of sugar with a 2,000-calorie diet.