Scientists told why fruit juices, honey and smoothies are dangerous

Scientists conducted a cohort study of data from participants in the British Biobank and found a connection between

increased consumption of free sugarsand a high likelihood of heart disease. Sugars are classified as “free” when they are not found inside the cells of the food consumed, such as in fruit juices and some smoothies. They are also present in honey, which “healthy lifestyle supporters” use to replace regular sugar. When only juice remains from the fruit, sugar is released from the cells of the fruit. They also lose beneficial fiber.

According to the press release, there is an urgent need to changeglobal dietary guidelines, and people should reduce their intake of free sugars to five percent of their total daily energy intake or below.

Scientists led by Rebecca Kellyfrom the University of Oxford, UK, tracked people for more than 9 years and found that cardiovascular disease (including heart attack and stroke) was observed most often in people who consumed free sugars. However, the researchers did not find an association between “total carbohydrate intake with cardiovascular disease outcomes,” the scientists wrote.

As a solution, the researchers suggestreplace free sugars with non-free ones — “mostly those found naturally in whole fruits and vegetables, and a higher fiber intake may help protect against cardiovascular disease,” the scientists conclude.

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