If you often indulge in sugary drinks as a treat, you might want to reconsider after hearing from a health professional. We are aware that consuming excessive sugar is not beneficial, even though it might provide a temporary boost to our mood.
Research has consistently linked high intake of sugary beverages to the rise in obesity in the United States and globally. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identifies these drinks as the primary source of added sugars in the American diet.
Moderation is key, but Dr. Evan Levine, a cardiologist based in Scarsdale, New York, suggests avoiding certain drinks entirely to protect your heart health. Dr. Levine, who shares health insights on his TikTok account, drevanlevine, recently highlighted the top 10 “most toxic drinks” for heart health.
In his findings, he zeroed in on the top four drinks to avoid, including a personal favorite of his.
Dr. Levine told the NY Post that many sodas are detrimental to our health. “A can of soda has 10 teaspoons of sugar or the same amount of corn syrup,” he explained. This can lead to increased triglycerides, weight gain, elevated blood sugar levels, and a heightened risk of diabetes, all of which are harmful to heart health.
He encourages people to visualize consuming “1/5 of a cup of pure corn syrup” when they open a soda, “because that’s exactly what’s happening.”
His former favorite drink, a grande iced frappuccino, is now on his list of the worst offenders. Initially, he enjoyed it but later realized its negative impact. He stated, “I actually got a high off this stuff and then crashed within two hours,” noting that many iced coffee drinks contain nearly 100mg of caffeine and 51 grams of sugar, equating to about 13 teaspoons of sugar.
Levine warns that these drinks can put “potentially dangerous stress on the heart,” especially for individuals with heart disease, due to the combination of caffeine and sugar.
While moderate alcohol consumption might be safe, with no more than one drink a day for those without heart issues, Levine challenges the idea that wine is heart-healthy. He criticizes the studies claiming such benefits, suggesting they are often funded by the alcohol industry and based on observational data that doesn’t establish causation. “People who drank a glass of wine may have been more athletic or had some other unaccounted benefit,” he said.
Alcohol can elevate blood pressure and triglycerides, and in higher quantities, it’s a direct heart toxin, leading to a condition known as alcohol cardiomyopathy, which is life-threatening.
Dr. Levine also includes energy drinks on his list of harmful beverages due to their caffeine and sugar content. “Drinks like Red Bull have about 1.5 times the caffeine as coffee but also contain almost eight teaspoons or more of sugar — or worse, corn syrup,” he noted. “The Monster energy drink has almost 15 teaspoons of it.”
Beyond the top four, he advises against diet sodas due to their use of artificial sweeteners like xylitol or erythritol, which recent studies have linked to a higher risk of heart attack and stroke.
Lemonade, orange juice with added sugars, milk over one percent, and coffee creamers are also on his list. He criticizes coffee creamers for containing corn syrup.
Dr. Levine recommends choosing plant-based milk without added sugars and concludes by advocating for water as the healthiest and most affordable beverage choice. “Water, water, water is the best, least expensive,” he asserted. “One carbonated water with nothing added, that’s fine too.”