Consuming drinks high in added sugar increases the risk of cancer, according to this new study
Don't store avocado like this: it's dangerousConsuming drinks high in added sugar increases the risk of cancer, according to this new study. Yet another proof that these packaged products are anything but good for our body.
Many of the packaged products, which we eat or drink every day, are spiked with artificial sugars (often hidden in disguise), which are anything but good for our health and which indeed cause a lot of problems. In particular, sugary drinks are the major source of 'added' sugars in many people's diets.
Under the definition of sugary drinks many types of drinks are hidden - from fruit juices to energy drinks, from bottled teas to flavored waters. In short, a variegated world, populated by different products aimed at different market segments - paradoxically, sport lovers (mineral salt supplements with the most bizarre tastes and colors), children and fast-food patrons share. People who regularly consume these drinks are more likely to run into health problems such as obesity, liver disease, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular problems, gout and osteoarthritis.
(Read also: Do you have a sugar addiction? 10 signs to identify it and how to fight it)
A new study also links frequent intake of sugary drinks to higher chances of getting sick colorectal cancer - the third most prevalent cancer in the United States, among both men and women. the US researchers conducted this study by interviewing more than 96.000 women: they filled out questionnaires every four years relating to their eating habits and their consumption of sugary drinks.
It found that women who reported drinking two or more sugary drinks a day doubled their risk of developing colorectal cancer before age 50 compared to women who reported drinking less than one sugary drink per week. In practice, each sugary drink consumed (an average amount of about 250 ml) is associated with a 16% higher risk of developing cancer before the age of 50 and 32% between 13 and 18 years.
Many people who consume these drinks often do not realize how much sugars they are taking - this is also due to unclear labels and the use of sweeteners other than simple sugar, which have names not immediately associated with sweetness (such as dextrose, sucrose, fructose, rice syrup ...). This diagram shows the amount of sugars contained in the most commonly consumed drinks:
Here is a table of the quantity of sugar contained in the most common drinks on the market (Credits National Institutes of Health)
How then to limit the consumption of these drinks which, unfortunately for us, are very good on the palate? First, avoid stocking up on sugary sodas when you go grocery shopping. If we don't like still water, we can enrich it with flavor in a natural way, adding a few slices of lemon or a few mint leaves. When we are at the bar, we opt for sugar-free coffee, perhaps staining it with vegetable drinks (such as soy or almond) rather than with milk, which naturally contains sugar. Furthermore, it is good to always carry a bottle of fresh water with you: in this way, in addition to not consuming useless plastic, we will not fall into the temptation to buy a bottle or a can of unhealthy drink.
Fonti: Gut / CDC / National Institutes of Health
We also recommend:
- What happens to your body if you stop eating sugar for a month?
- Cold tea in the bottle, too many sugars and additives: the nutritionist's advice
- Which sugars are best for our health and which ones are best avoided
- Be careful what you drink, what's really in fruit juices (and how to choose them)
