The effects of increased consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages has been associated with elevated risks of obesity, metabolic syndrome, and type II diabetes mellitus. Until recently the effects on blood pressure had not been studied. A recent study concluded that a reduction in sugar-sweetened beverages was significantly associated with reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressures. A significant decrease was also recorded with decreased sugar intake in general. These finding suggest that sugars may be the nutrients that contribute to the observed association between sugar-sweetened beverages and blood pressure.
Dr. Kerry Ferguson