Sugar: Not Just Bad For Your Waistline

Researchers looked at the diets of more than 6,000 people over the course of seven years, from 1999 to 2006, and put each person in one of five groups depending on the percentage of added sugars in their diets.

Those who consumed less than 5 percent of total calories as added sugars were the reference group and the percentages increased from there, with the highest group getting more than 25 percent of their calories from sugar.

Next, the researchers looked at measures in the blood known to be associated with heart disease. Among other things they looked at HDL ("good") cholesterol levels, triglycerides and ratio of triglycerides to HDL (a low ratio means very low risk for heart disease). Here's what they found.

For those in one of the groups that consumed higher levels of added sugar, their odds of having low levels of HDL (good) cholesterol were 50 to 300 percent higher.

They were also far more likely to have high triglyceride levels (which I consider far more serious than high cholesterol) and a high ratio of triglycerides to HDL cholesterol.

We already know that sugar raises levels of insulin, the fat-storage hormone, and in that way can contribute to diabetes and obesity. This research suggests that added sugars can contribute to heart disease risk, as well. No wonder the American Heart Association is urging people to cut back on the average 22 teaspoons of sugar that are consumed daily.

Jonny Bowden, author, nutritionist and weight loss coach cuts through all the misconceptions about diet and fitness to help you transform your body, your health and your life. You can visit his Web site to learn more.

While avoiding sugar may help our hearts, here's Jonny's take on whether a high-fat diet may be good for you.