New study suggests that sugary drinks have a higher risk of diabetes than sweet foods

Those who crave candies may prefer to avoid soft drinks in favor of natural sugars to reduce the risk of diabetes.

Following a review of over 150 studies, a Canadian research team concluded that sugary drinks pose a higher risk of type 2 diabetes compared to most other foods containing fructose.

The results, published Thursday in Bmj, Suggest that fruit and other foods containing fructose do not appear to have a negative effect on blood sugar, while sugary drinks and some other foods that add excess "nutrient-poor" energy to the diet may have adverse effects.

Dr. John Sievenpiper, of St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto, lead author of the study, said other high-quality studies were still needed, but he hoped this evidence would contribute to the study. development of public health strategies to reduce the consumption of sugary drinks.

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"These results could help guide recommendations on important dietary sources of fructose in the prevention and management of diabetes," he said.

The role of sugars in the development of diabetes and heart disease has often sparked wide debate, with more and more evidence suggesting that fructose could be particularly harmful to health.

Fructose is naturally present in a variety of foods, including whole fruits and vegetables, natural fruit juices and honey. It is also added to foods, such as soft drinks, breakfast cereals, baked goods, sweets and desserts as "free sugars".

Current dietary recommendations recommend reducing free sugars, especially fructose from sweetened beverages, but it is unclear if this is valid for all dietary sources of these sugars.

It was this uncertainty that prompted Sievenpiper and his team to analyze the results of 155 studies evaluating the effect of different dietary sources of glucose sugars on glucose levels in people with and without diabetes who were monitored for up to a period of time. at 12 weeks.

The results were based on four types of studies: substitution (comparison of sugars with other carbohydrates), addition (energy from sugars added to the diet), subtraction (energy from sugars removed from the diet) or ad libitum. (sugar energy freely replaced).

The results showed that most foods containing fructose sugar did not have an adverse effect on blood glucose levels when foods did not provide an excess of calories. However, a detrimental effect on fasting insulin in some studies.

In addition, their analysis of specific foods suggested that fruits and fruit juices could have beneficial effects on the control of blood sugar and insulin, especially in people with diabetes.

The research team said that the low glycemic index (GI) of fructose compared to other carbohydrates and the higher fiber content of fruits could help explain the improvement in blood sugar by slowing the release of sugars.