Latest news with #sugar
Medical News Today
3 days ago
- Health
- Medical News Today
Type 2 diabetes: Sugary drinks may significantly raise risk
A new study finds a link between sugar-containing drinks and the risk of type 2 diabetes. Stockah/Getty Images When it comes to managing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, there is no safe level of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption, according to a new study. At the same time, the study finds that moderate consumption of sugars contained in solid foods or eaten with them may actually lower the risk of developing diabetes. The study supports a beneficial role of sugar in a balanced, healthy diet, as long as it does not include sweetened liquids such as soft drinks or fruit drinks. Although a sweet tooth is often associated with an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, a new meta-study shows that the link between sugar and the condition is more nuanced than one might think. While sugars consumed in sweetened beverages significantly increase one's risk of developing type 2 diabetes, sugars eaten in foods do not. In fact, they may even have a slight protective effect against developing the condition, a new study indicates. This new, large meta-study is the work of researchers at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, in collaboration with colleagues at Paderborn University and the University of Freiburg in Germany. The researchers included in their analysis the findings of 29 studies conducted in Europe, the United States, Asia, Australia, and Latin America. The study is published in the journal Advances in Nutrition . This study confirmed previous research, finding that the consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks, such as soft drinks, sports drinks, and energy drinks, was closely linked to the development of type 2 diabetes. The meta-study found that for each 12-ounce daily serving of a sugar-sweetened drink, the risk of diabetes increased by 25% relative to their existing level of risk. Fruit juice is considered by many to be a healthy alternative to such drinks and may contain fewer potentially harmful additives. However, it still contains a significant amount of sugar. With each serving of fruit juice, the risk of diabetes increased by 5%, in the meta-study. Some may be surprised by the study's finding regarding the connection, or relative lack thereof, between sugar consumed in or with foods and the risk of developing diabetes. The researchers found that an intake of 20 grams of sugars per day had an inverse relationship to the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. This suggests eating sugar may actually make a person less likely to develop diabetes. We were not surprised by the meta-study's findings, said lead author Karen Della Corte, PhD, Assistant Professor of Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Science at Brigham Young University. 'Our hypothesis was shaped by emerging research on glycemic response, liver metabolism, and the concept of the food matrix. [It] was based on the idea that sugar's impact depends on how it's delivered — not just how much you eat, but what else comes with it,' she said. No 'safe' lower limit 'What did surprise us was how consistently the harmful associations with sugary drinks showed up across so many diverse populations — and that this increased risk was evident even with just one serving per day. That suggests there's really no safe lower limit when it comes to sugary beverages.' — Karen Della Corte, PhD Della Corte also reported her team was intrigued by the extent to which the moderate intake of sugars in solid foods was not only not associated with harm, but may even be beneficial in terms of diabetes risk. 'That challenged the popular narrative that all sugar is inherently harmful, and it highlighted the importance of food context — including fiber, protein, and other nutrients — in how the body processes sugar,' Della Corte said. When we consume sugars in drinks, they enter our bodies in a much different manner than they do when they're ingested with food. Della Corte explained, 'When sugar is dissolved in liquid, it floods the system fast — and this rapid delivery overwhelms the body's ability to process it in a healthy way.' 'One key reason,' she said, 'is that sugary drinks deliver large amounts of sugar quickly and without any of the components that normally slow down digestion, like fiber, protein, or fat.' These nutrients, on the other hand, do typically accompany sugars when they are eaten. 'Liquid sugars are absorbed quickly, leading to sharp blood sugar spikes and insulin responses,' added Michelle Routhenstein, MS RD CDCES CDN, Preventive Cardiology Dietitian and Heart Health Expert at who was not involved in the study. As our system is overwhelmed by liquid sugars, particularly fructose common in sugary drinks, a pathway to T2D is easy to imagine. How sugary drinks heighten diabetes risk 'When the liver is hit with a sudden, high dose of fructose, it can't keep up. When overwhelmed, it diverts more of the excess fructose into fat production, a process known as 'de novo lipogenesis.' This buildup of fat in the liver can interfere with insulin signaling and contribute to metabolic dysfunction, leading to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.' — Karen Della Corte, PhD When sugars are consumed as an ingredient in foods, or eaten with foods, it is absorbed more slowly and readily by the body. Routhenstein pointed out that sugars in beverages 'also don't make us feel full, so people tend to consume more overall calories.' The meta-study clearly shows that avoiding sugar-sweetened drinks is a sensible precaution to take to avoid type 2 diabetes. It also clearly supports the idea that sugar has a place in a healthy diet. 'One point I'd like to emphasize is that this study challenges the idea that 'all sugar is bad' in a blanket sense. Our results show that the health effects of sugar depend heavily on how it's consumed. That opens the door to more nuanced nutrition guidance that focuses on carbohydrate quality, not just quantity.' — Karen Della Corte, PhD 'This study reinforces the idea that carbohydrates, including sugars, are an important part of the diet, and how we consume them really matters.' 'I don't support very low-carb diets because research shows they are often linked to high LDL and apoB levels, and can cause fast progression of plaque formation in the arteries,' she noted. 'Instead,' Routhenstein concluded, 'I focus on helping patients choose carbs wisely — pairing them with fiber, protein, and healthy fats to slow sugar absorption and support overall health. It's about balance and quality, not simply cutting out sugar completely.' Diabetes Type 2 Nutrition / Diet
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Over a barrel: lack of sugar throws Cuba's rum industry into crisis
It's a crisis that would have sent a shiver down Ernest Hemingway's drinking arm. Cuba's communist government is struggling to process enough sugar to make the rum for his beloved mojitos and daiquiris. As summer rains bring the Caribbean island's 2025 harvest to an end, a recent analysis by Reuters suggests that Cuba's state-run monopoly, Azcuba, is likely to produce just 165,000 metric tonnes of sugar this year. That compares with harvests of 8m in the late 1980s. Michael Bustamante, chair of Cuban and Cuban-American Studies at the University of Miami, described the situation as 'dismal'. 'You have to go back to the 19th century to find numbers this low,' he said. Cuba is in the grip of an all-encompassing economic crisis, and for the past few years has been importing sugar to feed its people, but rum producers do not have the luxury of importing. 'The regulations provide that all the liquids have to come from within the country,' an industry executive said, speaking anonymously. It is particularly worrying because the island's rum industry has been a rare bright spot in its economy. Big international luxury brands are involved, battling each other in world markets with distinctive Cuban spirits. Diageo, LVMH and Pernod Ricard all have ventures with the government in Havana, often involving tortuous legal structures to placate OFAC, the US Office of Foreign Assets Control, which polices Washington's six-decade-plus trade embargo against the island. These companies – and a small British/Norwegian upstart called the Island Rum Company – have invested heavily in their respective brands: Ron Santiago, Eminente, Havana Club and Black Tears. Now there are concerns about their prospects. 'It is threatened,' said the executive. Rum as we know it was invented in Cuba in 1862 when a shopkeeper in the coastal city of Santiago thought he could do better than the rot gut then produced in pot stills on the country's plantations worked by enslaved people. His name was Facundo Bacardí. He began using column stills to distill molasses, a byproduct of sugar refining, selecting the aguardiente liquor on the edge of the pure alcohol, before ageing it in oak. His family, and the rum they produced, became the most famous in Cuba, until they were forced out in the Castro brothers' 1959 revolution. The Castros wanted Cuba to be financially independent of other countries, a never-ending issue for the island, and sugar was at the heart of their plans. In 1970, they mobilised 500,000 volunteers to create a 10m-tonne harvest. The effort fell short, but at least until the late 1980s Cuba produced around 8m tonnes a year. There was always a lack of investment in the machinery, though, which the government blames on the US embargo. Now the 133 mills at the time of the revolution have been reduced to 14, and only six are reportedly still operating. 'The sugar production numbers have been steadily decreasing for the better part of 20 years, but particularly over the last five,' said Bustamante. 'I think it's just as clear a signal as you can get over the dire straits of the economy overall.' The Enrique Varona sugar mill is in the settlement of Falla, around halfway along the island's length. On a recent visit, the workers looked exhausted as they lathed a heavy bit of metal in the hope of keeping the great mill running. In contrast, Pernod Ricard's distillery south of Havana is modern and slick. The French drinks company was the first of the big foreign operations to arrive, doing a deal with Corporación Cuba Ron, the state producer, in 1993. In return for an agreement not to allow other competitors in for 20 years, it took over the Havana Club brand, building sales from 300,000 cases to over 4m. 'They made a huge investment in a moment in which no one had the guts to invest in Cuba,' said Luca Cesarano, who until recently ran the rival brand of Ron Santiago. With the end of that agreement in 2013, others such as Diageo arrived. Unlike Pernod Ricard, they were not distilling themselves, but employing rum makers – known as maestros – to make specific spirits in Cuba's state distilleries. They were also using historic collections of rum that the maestros had for years been storing in oak barrels across the country, even as the roofs of their bodegas grew full of holes. These high-end products have fed an international resurgence in rum. LVMH, the luxury powerhouse, arrived to make Eminente, creating the Hotel Eminente in Paris to promote it. The upstart Island Rum Company has found a strong following in Cuba and abroad by associating itself with young Cuban musicians (its Black Tears brand takes its name from a Cuban song, Lagrimas Negras. But with the supply of molasses drying up, all this work is threatened. 'I think the fourth quarter will be particularly tough,' said the executive. 'There won't be any alcohol.'
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Breakfast 'health' staple linked to soaring rates of diabetes
Your daily glass of orange juice for breakfast is increasing your risk of diabetes, a study suggests. A group of researchers at the Brigham Young University has shown that drinking sugar instead of eating it is much more likely to lead to the chronic illness. In contrast, other sugar sources such as fruits and honey showed no such link and in some cases, were even associated with decreasing the risk. Dr Karen Della Corte, lead author and a BYU nutritional science professor said: 'This is the first study to draw clear dose-response relationships between different sugar sources and type 2 diabetes risk. 'It highlights why drinking your sugar, whether from soda or juice is more problematic for health than eating it.' Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of the condition and over 37 million American adults suffer from this form of the chronic illness. It is caused by either the pancreas not producing enough insulin or the body's cells not responding properly to insulin. This leads to high blood sugar levels and a buildup of glucose in the bloodstream, which can damage the eyes, kidneys, nerves and heart. The researchers reviewed 29 cohort studies on the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes in healthy adults, based on dietary sugar (total, free, added, fructose, sucrose) or two sugary beverage sources (non-diet sugar-sweetened beverages and fruit juice). After collecting over 800,000 people's data across multiple continents including Europe, US, Australia and Asia, the scientists then analyzed it using multiple statistical models. Results showed that each additional eight ounce serving of fruit juice per day increased the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by five percent. On the other hand, each additional 12-oz serving of sugar sweetened beverages including sodas, energy and sports drinks raised the risk by 25 percent. A single eight-ounce glass of orange juice contains about 18 to 21 grams of sugar - which is nearly a woman's entire recommended daily amount. According to the American Heart Association, men should consume no more than 36 grams or 150 calories of sugar per day while women should consume no more than 25 grams or 100 calories per day. While seeming healthy, fruit juice is known to have a high sugar content as they tend to have added sugars and additives. Even with added vitamins and nutrients, the high added sugar content in juices can overwhelm and disrupt liver metabolism - increasing liver and pancreas fat. Over time, this can lead to inflammation and result in problems with insulin release and absorption in the body - paving the way for Type 2 diabetes. As compared to whole fruits, juice also lacks the beneficial fiber, which can disrupt gut health and impact metabolism. Experts have long recmmended eating whole fruits instead of drinking branded juices as they packed with fiber, which is essential for gut health, regulating blood sugar levels and keeping you feeling full. Commercial juices, often have little to no fiber as it's removed during the juicing process to make the liquid free-flowing and more flavorful. The skin and pulp of whole fruits also contains valuable vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that are often discarded during juicing. Due to its natural origin, honey too can be a healthier option to consume rather than fruit juices as it does not cause as rapid a spike in blood sugar and contains trace amounts of vitamins as well as minerals. Dr Della Corte said: 'This study underscores the need for even more stringent recommendations for liquid sugars such as those in sugar-sweetened beverages and fruit juice, as they appear to harmfully associate with metabolic health. 'Rather than condemning all added sugars, future dietary guidelines might consider the differential effects of sugar based on its source and form.' The study was published in the journal Advances in Nutrition in May 2025.
Reuters
6 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
India's E.I.D.-Parry reports quarterly profit rise, aided by distillery segment
May 27 (Reuters) - Indian sugar maker E.I.D.-Parry ( opens new tab reported a 46% rise in fourth-quarter profit before tax and exceptional items on Tuesday, boosted by strong performance in its distillery segment following recent capacity expansions. The company's profit before tax and exceptional items rose to 1.61 billion rupees ($18.9 million) in the three months ended March 31, from 1.1 billion rupees a year earlier. Revenue from operations increased 13.5% to 8.14 billion rupees. The company posted a 1.7% slide in revenue from its mainstay sugar segment, which was offset by a 19.8% rise in its distillery segment, which produces ethanol. E.I.D.-Parry reported a loss after tax of 2.32 billion rupees due to an exceptional loss of 3.5 billion rupees due to impairment of investment in its subsidiary Parry Sugars Refinery India. For further results highlights, click (Full Story, opens new tab). The company said its sugar segment revenue declined due to lower crushing and production, impacted by reduced cane volume, higher cane costs, and weaker recoveries. Sugar prices failed to keep pace with rising costs, it said. However, the rise in revenue from its distillery segment helped cushion the bottom line, benefiting from improved capacity utilisation following recent expansion. PEER COMPARISON * Mean of analysts' ratings standardised to a scale of Strong Buy, Buy, Hold, Sell, and Strong Sell ** Ratio of the stock's last close to analysts' mean price target; a ratio above 1 means the stock is trading above the PT JANUARY-MARCH STOCK PERFORMANCE -- All data from LSEG -- $1 = 85.3740 rupees
Fox News
26-05-2025
- Health
- Fox News
Experts reveal hidden ways sugar accelerates aging beyond just weight gain
Sugar is not so sweet when it comes to aging, especially when it's about your skin, brain health and the inflammation in your body, experts told Fox News Digital. "In essence, sugar acts like a slow poison when consumed in excess. It silently damages the structures that keep us young, our collagen, our vasculature, our metabolic systems and even our brain," Daniel Tawfik, a molecular biologist and co-founder of Healthspan, a digital medical clinic in Santa Monica, California, that focuses on anti-aging and longevity-promoting therapies, told Fox News Digital. Americans consume more than two to three times the recommended daily allowance of sugar, according to the American Heart Association. Added sugars are sugars or syrups put into beverages and food to enhance sweetness and texture. They are absorbed quickly into the bloodstream, contributing to spikes in blood sugar, according to Healthline. "Our physiology simply wasn't designed to handle such a continuous influx of refined sugar, and it's straining our systems in ways that accelerate the aging process," Tawfik said. Consuming excess sugar can lead to a process called glycation, in which the body forms harmful Advanced Glycation End-products (AGEs). AGEs stiffen tissues, damage blood vessels and impair the function of critical cells, from skin cells to neurons, Tawfik said. AGEs can damage collagen and elastin, the proteins that keep skin firm and elastic. AGEs can also "lead to more wrinkles, sagging and dullness in the skin," Michigan-based registered dietitian nutritionist Grace Derocha, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, told Fox News Digital. Accumulation of AGEs "is linked not only to wrinkles and skin thinning, but also to age-related diseases like diabetes, kidney disease, cardiovascular disease and even Alzheimer's," Tawfik told Fox News Digital. Excess sugar can drive chronic inflammation and oxidative stress, two foundational processes in biological aging, Tawfik said. Over time, a constant glucose supply can also overwhelm power-generating mitochondria in the body, making them less efficient. This mitochondrial dysfunction is considered a "signature of aging," according to Tawfik, and contributes to muscle loss, fatigue, degeneration of nerves and organ decline. This chronic inflammation is often called "inflammaging," Derocha told Fox News Digital, because inflammation "contributes to age-related decline throughout the body." "Frequent spikes in blood sugar and insulin can also disrupt hormonal balance, affect mood and impact sleep – all of which play a role in how we age and how we feel as we age," said Derocha, who is also a certified diabetes educator. It can also affect cortisol levels and cause fluid retention and inflammation around the midsection and face, Derocha told Fox News Digital. "The occasional dessert or sweet treat isn't going to age you overnight," Derocha said. "The concern lies in chronic overconsumption of added sugars, which are often hidden in processed foods, sweetened beverages and even some 'health' products." Cutting back on added sugar intake doesn't have to be "all or nothing," according to Derocha, who stressed the importance of reading labels to avoid unwanted sugars. "The occasional dessert or sweet treat isn't going to age you overnight. The concern lies in chronic overconsumption of added sugars." Be mindful that added sugars may be listed under different names, such as "cane sugar, corn syrup, honey, agave [and] fruit juice concentrate," Derocha warned. Swap packaged treats for fruit and nut butter or plain Greek yogurt and berries. "Granola, protein bars, flavored yogurts and smoothies can have more sugar than a candy bar," Derocha said. For more Lifestyle articles, visit "Always check the label, even on 'healthy' options." Opt for sparkling water, water infused with citrus, cucumber or mint or unsweetened iced tea instead of soda, flavored coffee or sweet tea, she suggested. "Sugar isn't evil – it's just overused and under-acknowledged in our food system," Derocha said. "Learning to spot it, enjoy it mindfully and reduce excess can have huge benefits for energy, skin, mood and long-term health, especially for those managing or preventing diabetes." The American Heart Association recommends no more than 25 grams of added sugar per day for women and no more than 36 grams for men.
