People who consume it regularly have a 20 to 40% increased risk of having a heart attack or dying from cardiovascular disease.
Forget alcohol and coffee, another drink is now being singled out by certain cardiologists. Among them, Jeremy London, an American heart surgeon, is speaking out more often to raise awareness about certain behaviors that he considers harmful. On social networks and in the media, he shares what he personally avoids, drawing on his clinical experience. And in this list, a widely consumed drink is subject to a warning for heart health.
On Instagram, the doctor details several elements that he completely bans from his daily life. He begins with tobacco, which he describes as “hands down the worst thing you can do to your body”, recalling its documented effects on blood pressure, lungs, cancer risk and cardiovascular disease. These findings are widely established by international health authorities, including the World Health Organization. Alcohol comes next, described as toxic “for every cell in your body”a position which agrees with that of public health authorities, who point out that there is no risk-free consumption threshold.
But it is the third category that particularly attracts attention. The doctor adopts an even more radical tone, with a formula that has circulated widely: “It’s liquid death. Don’t drink it. Period.” A deliberately provocative statement, which targets sweetened or sweetened carbonated drinks (sodas, colas, tonics, lemonades, energy drinks, sports drinks, etc.). They are all bad for the heart.
According to him, consuming calories in liquid form poses a specific risk, because it can go unnoticed and promote overall energy excess. A point also highlighted by the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health. “If you drank just one of these sugary drinks every day, without reducing your calorie intake elsewhere, you could gain up to 5 pounds in a year.”indicates the institution. Several epidemiological studies also show that people who regularly consume 1 to 2 cans of sugary drinks per day have an increased risk (of the order of 20 to 40%) of having a heart attack or dying from cardiovascular disease. Whereas, conversely, certain meals curb this heart risk immediately.
Regular consumption of these high-sugar drinks is also associated with a higher risk of diabetes and other chronic diseases (such as gout or certain cancers), as well as an increased risk of premature mortality. Note that sugar is not the only ingredient involved. In the ZOE Science & Nutrition podcast, Dr. William Li warns against ultra-processed foods, especially those high in added sugars like soda. He reminds us that the body needs sugar in normal quantities, but that excesses, common with these drinks, can harm the metabolism and the heart. European health authorities, such as the European Food Safety Authority, regulate food additives and recommend not exceeding certain quantities.
