15 Feb 2023 --- Increasing daily consumption of free sugars by 5% of energy intake was found to increase the risk of total cardiovascular disease by 7%, the risk of ischemic heart disease (IHD) by 6% and the risk of strokes by 10%, according to a study published in BMC Medicine. Free sugars are sugars added to foods and drinks that naturally occur in honey, syrups and unsweetened fruit juice. “We hope that our findings will strengthen [global guidelines for free sugar intake] by providing evidence that this recommendation may also lower a person’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease,” Dr. Rebecca Kelly, lead author on the study, from the University of Oxford, tells NutritionInsight.
