"I went to the bank and asked to borrow a cup of money," quipped stand-up comic Steven Wright. "They said, 'What for?'"
"I said, 'I am going to buy some sugar.'"
He should take heart from the fact that he was rejected for that loan. Over the course of a 15-year study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, folks consuming between 17% and 21% of their calories from added sugar had a 38% higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, compared with those who got just 8% as added sugar.
It turns out, for pregnant women and their newborns, the sweet alternatives may not be any better. A new animal study from the University of Calgary has found that when a pregnant female consumes food and beverages made with low-cal sweeteners, such as aspartame and stevia, it disrupts her offspring's gut microbiome and predisposes the newborn to obesity.
Other studies have shown that maternal consumption of low- and no-cal sugar substitutes is associated with large birth size and early menstruation in girls under age 10 - a known risk factor for chronic disease. Plus it seems, some of the low-cal sweeteners get passed from Mom to infant through breast milk - amping up the risk for childhood obesity.
So mom-to-be, what should you do if you're feeling thirsty? Opt for water (dodge plastic water bottles when you can), tea or club soda. Get your sweets from fruits and whole grains. You'll feel better in the long run, and your child will thank you.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
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