High Fructose Consumption Linked to High Blood Pressure

The evidence keeps pouring in pointing to the dangers of fructose, which are found in soft drinks and most processed foods, from breads to cookies to crackers.

The latest study, which finds that people who consume the amount of fructose found in two-and-a-half soft drinks a day appear to have a higher risk of hypertension, appears in the current issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology

People who took in at least 74 grams (about 18.5 tsp.) per day had 26% to 77% greater odds of crossing various thresholds of elevated blood pressure (P<0.05 for all), compared with lower levels of consumption, according to Diana Jalal, MD, of the University of Colorado Denver, and colleagues.

"Limiting fructose intake is readily feasible, and, in light of our results, prospective studies are needed to assess whether decreased intake of fructose from added sugars will reduce the incidence of hypertension and the burden of cardiovascular disease in the U.S. adult population," they wrote online in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

One of the best ways to improve your health is to reduce your consumption of high fructose corn syrup -- and that means, just nix the soft drinks. There is no human requirement for soda!

Over this holiday weekend, I encourage you to drink water rather than soda. You can pay a price for gulping all that fructose-laden sweetness.

To get a flavor for how soft drinks can pack on the pounds -- one that will make your stomach turn -- watch this "Pouring on the Pounds" ad from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.