It’s one of those usual sunny days and you’ve had a bottle
of your favorite soda and contemplating on having another bottle. You should
take time to read this and perhaps have a change of mind. A greater consumption
of sugar-sweetened and low-calorie sodas is associated with a higher risk of
stroke. This is according to a research from Cleveland Clinic's Wellness
Institute and Harvard University, recently published in the American Journal
of Clinical Nutrition. Conversely,
the research also suggests that consumption of caffeinated or decaffeinated
coffee is associated with a lower risk.
Previous research has linked sugar-sweetened beverage
consumption with weight gain, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol,
gout and coronary artery disease but this is the first to examine soda’s effect
on stroke risk. The research analyzed soda consumption among 43,371 men who
participated in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study between 1986 and 2008,
and 84,085 women who participated in the Nurses' Health Study between 1980 and
2008. During that time, 2,938 strokes were documented in women while 1,416
strokes were documented in men.
In sugar-sweetened sodas, the sugar load may
lead to rapid increases in blood glucose and insulin which, over time, may lead
to glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, and inflammation. These physiologic
changes influence atherosclerosis, plaque stability and thrombosis – all of
which are risk factors of ischemic stroke. This risk for stroke appears higher
in women than in men.
In comparison, coffee contains chlorogenic
acids, lignans and magnesium, all of which act as antioxidants and may reduce
stroke risk. When compared with one serving of sugar-sweetened soda, one
serving of decaffeinated coffee was associated with a 10 percent lower risk of
stroke.
In addition, study findings show that men and
women who consumed more than one serving of sugar-sweetened soda per day had
higher rates of high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol and lower
physical activity rates. Those who drank soda more frequently were also more
likely to eat red meat and whole-fat dairy products. Men and women who consumed
low-calorie soda had a higher incidence of chronic disease and a higher body
mass index (BMI). The investigators controlled for these other factors in their
analysis to determine the independent association of soda consumption on stroke
risk.
Based on the findings of this research, individuals are
encouraged to substitute other beverages for soda.
Source: EurekAlert
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