cholesterol: it’s not just about fat anymore

Want to lower your cholesterol? It’s not about the fat. Turns out sugar — added to processed foods and sweetened drinks — is a big culprit.

New research in the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association studied 6,100 people to see how sugar intake affected cholesterol levels. They found people consuming the most sugar generally had higher triglyceride (blood-fat) levels, along with lower levels of protective HDL cholesterol.

They also found sugar intake has risen nearly 50 percent over common consumption in 1977-78. Sugars already are linked to obesity, hypertension and other conditions known to increase heart and stroke risks. These new finding add one more reason to cut down. (Via USA Today.)