Medical Minute With Dr. Mel: How Does Sugar Affects The Heart
Source: Reach Media / Radio One Digital
February is National Heart Health Month and today’s Medical Minute with Dr. Mel talks about how sugar can you. Whether it’s too much sugar through candy and chocolate to Ice Cream, Dr. Mel Clarke shares thoughts and tips on how to get your sugar rush in a healthy way.
Listen Below
Want more from Dr. Mel? Watch EXCUSE ME DOCTOR?! with DR. MEL on Facebook or YouTube
- Medical Minute With Dr. Mel: How Does Sugar Affects The Heart
- Medical Minute With Dr. Mel: Tips On Fighting A Cold & Beauty Items That May Cause Cancer
- Medical Minute with Dr. Mel: Breast Cancer Risks & Is It Time To Give Up On Coffee?
READ HIGHLIGHTS BELOW
RUSS: It’s National Heart Health Month and the big question I have is because I have a big, sweet tooth. Can sugar hurt your heart?
Dr. Mel: Well, yes, it can. We know that we as Americans consume 20 teaspoons of sugar every day, which is way more than the American Heart Association’s recommended six daily teaspoons for women and nine for men. So, in one study, we saw that high sugar diets where sugar was 20% of your daily calories versus low sugar diets, where it’s only 8%, increase your risk of dying from heart disease by 38%. That’s probably because it increases blood pressure, cholesterol, weight, and the risk of diabetes. So, there are two simple ways to cut back on sugar: Choose water over soda, soda or fruit drinks and choose fruit over baked sweets and that Valentine’s Day chocolate that. You probably gonna get it.
RUSS: Well, let me ask you, I mean, because the sugar that you get out of like fruits, is that a different kind of sugar that you get from like cake and ice cream?
Dr. Mel: Yes, because what happens is the fruit has more fiber in it, so it slows down the absorption of the sugar into your body. So it’s much better to satisfy your sweet tooth from fruit versus baked goods that have no fiber.
