RICHARD BELIVEAU, QMI AGENCY
FIRST POSTED: TUESDAY, JUNE 8, 2010 2:00:00 EDT AM
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We often associate heart disease with having too much fat in our diets, especially saturated fat and trans fat. What is often overlooked, however, is that eating too much sugar can also contribute to developing these diseases.
One of the most diehard beliefs about food in our society is that all fats, without exception, are bad for the heart. But this myth has no truth to it whatsoever.
Some fats such as saturated fat (from animal sources) and trans fat (found in industrial food products) do increase the risk of heart disease.
On the other hand, polyunsaturated fats (vegetable oils), monounsaturated fats (olive oil, nut oils) and omega-3s (flaxseed, fatty fish) are absolutely necessary for the prevention of these diseases.
In other words, we have to look at the kinds of fats we eat in addition to the quantity.
Unfortunately, the lack of knowledge about the effects of different types of fat has led to a witch-hunt for any food associated with fatty substances, even if it's a healthy kind such as that found in fish or nuts.
In the vast majority of cases, the reduced amounts of fat in our diets have been replaced with an increase in sugar-rich foods, particularly foods with sweetening agents such as sucrose or corn syrup. But these sugars do not, unfortunately, have any role in preventing cardiovascular disease.
Having abnormally-high concentrations of lipids in the blood, a condition known as dyslipidemia, has long been recognized as an important risk factor for developing heart problems. Dyslipidemia is generally characterized by higher levels of triglycerides and LDL cholesterol (the bad kind), as well as a drop in the amount of HDL cholesterol (the good kind).
A recent study by American researchers looked at the impact of consuming large amounts of these sugars. They measured the concentrations of blood fats in 6,113 adult volunteers and studied whether the amount of fat was linked to the dietary intake of added sugar.
They observed that in people who received over 10% of their daily caloric intake from added sugars, the likelihood of showing lower-than-average levels of good cholesterol rose from 50% to 300%, compared to people who consumed less of these sugars (5% of calories). Eating a lot of sugar was also closely linked to a noticeable increase in triglyceride levels, another risk factor in cardiovascular disease.
This research shows that added sugar has a very negative impact on the state of blood fats and could therefore significantly increase the risk of heart disease.
It's important to consider this data because the amount of these sugars in our diets has steadily risen in recent years thanks to an endless range of prepared foods on our shelves, particularly soft drinks and other products made by the junk food industry.
With this in mind, we see that eating low-fat products that are high in sugar is not a good strategy. As is the case with all chronic diseases, a diet high in fruits and vegetables, low in saturated fat, high in mono- and polyunsaturated fats and where most of the sugar comes from whole grains is still the best way to reduce the risk of premature death associated with heart disease.
- Dr. Richard Beliveau holds the chair in cancer prevention and treatment at the University of Quebec in Montreal.
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Accredit : http://www.torontosun.com/life/healthandfitness/2010/06/07/14295886.html
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