Drinking as little as one sugary drink a day may significantly boost the risk of heart disease. That was the conclusion of an analysis of 106,000 women, healthy at enrollment, who reported on their intake of sugary beverages and had their health monitored for the next 25 years. Known as the California Teachers Study, here were the telling highlights of this eye-opening report. Relative to those who rarely to never consumed sugary drinks, including soda, fruit drinks, and sweetened bottled teas or water, those who drank one or more daily were:

·    20% more likely to develop cardiovascular disease

·    26% more likely to require a procedure to open clogged heart arteries

Of the various types of sugary drinks consumed, sugar-added fruit drinks were tied to the highest risk of cardiovascular disease at 42%.

These results are not surprising. Consuming calories as liquid sugars is known to damage arteries through several different avenues including promoting weight gain, elevating bad cholesterol while lowering good, boosting blood pressure, and increasing toxic inflammation and oxidation within arteries. Based on reems of solid science, you could easily make the argument that liquid sugars are the most metabolically disrupting and damaging of all forms of calories. Just say no to all forms of sugary beverages, and get the word out to your friends and family to do the same!