Cardiologist Dr Dmitry Yaranov has warned that added sugar, not cholesterol, is the "number one thing silently destroying your heart." In a post on Instagram, he said: "As a cardiologist, I see heart disease caused by more than just cholesterol."
He described sugar as a common additive hiding in drinks, snacks, sauces and "healthy" foods that is hurting hearts and fuelling diabetes.
Sugary drinks linked to higher heart disease risk
Dr Yaranov and a 2024 study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health report that drinking sugar-sweetened beverages daily raises the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), even for people who are more physically active than average.
The study found that having just one sugary drink a day increased CVD risk by about 18%, no matter how much exercise someone did. Those who drank two or more sugary beverages daily - and still met the CDC's recommended 150 minutes of weekly exercise - had a 21% higher risk than people who rarely or never drank them.
Even participants with the highest physical activity levels who drank sugary beverages still faced a greater CVD risk.
Global impact and additional studies
Dr Yaranov also cited an article in Nature Medicine, noting that in 2020, sugar-sweetened beverages were linked to 2.2 million new cases of Type 2 Diabetes and more than 1 million new CVD cases globally.
He added: "A JAMA Internal Medicine study found people getting ≥25% of calories from it [added sugar] had over twice the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease vs those eating <10%."
The major JAMA Internal Medicine study published in 2014 followed people for 15 years and found that those who got 25% or more of their daily calories from added sugar were over twice as likely to die from heart disease compared to those who consumed less than 10%. Overall, the risk of dying from heart disease increased as the percentage of sugar in the diet rose. This trend held steady regardless of age, sex, physical activity, or body mass index (BMI).
Dr Yaranov also said: "It fuels inflammation, raises blood pressure, worsens cholesterol, and disrupts glucose control - a double hit for heart and pancreas."
What is added sugar?
Dr Yaranov and these studies focus on 'added sugar' - not the naturally occurring sugars found in fruit, vegetables, and dairy products. The British Heart Foundation (BHF) defines 'added sugar' (or 'free sugars') as sugars added to foods, as well as sugars in fruit juice, since juicing releases sugar from the fruit's cells.
According to the BHF, free sugars are often called 'empty calories' because they provide energy but little nutritional value. The website reads: "A diet high in free sugars tends to be a high-calorie diet, and this can lead to weight gain, which can increase the risk of high blood pressure, heart and circulatory diseases and some cancers."
Which foods contain the most added sugar?
The Government's National Diet and Nutrition Survey lists the top sources of added sugar in our diets:
- Cakes, biscuits, buns, and pastries (15%): These are also typically high in saturated fat.
- Jams, spreads, and added sugar (14%): Includes honey, syrups, and sugar often added to hot drinks like tea and coffee.
- Soft drinks (11%): Choosing sugar-free varieties or flavouring water with fruit can help cut down on sugar.
- Chocolate (8%): Most chocolate is high in sugar - even 70% dark varieties, though these have slightly less sugar than milk or white chocolate. Chocolate is also high in saturated fat.
- Beer, lager, and cider (7%): These alcoholic drinks are among the top sources of sugar in UK diets.
- Fruit juice (6%): Juicing removes most of the fibre from fruit, so it's usually healthier to eat whole fruit.
- Yoghurts (4%): Flavoured yoghurts are often high in sugar. Choosing natural or plain yoghurt with fruit is a healthier option.
- Pickles and condiments (4%): Ketchup, sweet chilli sauce, chutneys, and pickles often contain unexpected amounts of sugar.
How much added sugar should we consume?
The UK Government recommends that free sugars should not make up more than 5% of the calories you get from food and drink each day. According to the NHS website, the daily limits for free sugars are:
- Adults: no more than 30g (roughly 7 sugar cubes).
- Children aged 7 to 10: no more than 24g (6 sugar cubes).
- Children aged 4 to 6: no more than 19g (5 sugar cubes).
- Children aged 2 to 3: no more than 14g (3 and a half sugar cubes).
- Children aged 1: no more than 10g (2 and a half sugar cubes).
There is no guideline limit for babies under the age of 1, but sugars should not be added to food or drinks given to babies, and the frequency and amount of sugary food and drinks should be as low as possible.
