We’re nearing the point in the year where Christmas isn’t the only thing on our minds. So, too, are our New Year’s resolutions. Atop many of our lists are improving our health, both through fitness and nutrition.
As you figure out exactly what you want to change in 2025 to help better yourself, consider the recent study published in Frontiers in Public Health that discovered not all sugar is created equal. And by that, I mean not all sugar has the same negative impacts on your body.
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Avoiding stuff like sodas and desserts is pretty common for those trying to buck bad habits. Well, this new research, which tracked 70,000 people in Sweden, found sugar consumption has varying levels of effects on the body.
In short, they looked at three areas: drinks (soda, juices), sweets (cake, muffins), and toppings (honey, sugar in coffee).
Of those groups, consumers who relied more on sugary beverages put themselves at greater risk of heart disease compared to the other sectors. In theory, having some cake may actually be a better decision than crushing a large Coca-Cola.
The same study also found that people who avoided sugar as much as possible aren’t immune to heart troubles, either.
“One theory is that people with very low sugar intake might be replacing sugar with other unhealthy foods or nutrients,” said Dr. Robert Eckel, a professor emeritus of medicine at the University of Colorado Anschutz, per CNN.
Ultimately, as is the case with any good diet, it’s all about balance. You can avoid sugar all you want but it isn’t going to put you at any less risk than someone who eats it in moderation.
It is interesting, though, that sugar has different long-term effects depending on its form. This is good news for me and my sweet tooth! I can live without soda, but living without pastries would be impossible.
