The Claim

Free sugars from milk-based drinks and tea/coffee are linearly associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk, with the lowest risk observed at 0% energy intake from these sugars.

Source: Association of sugar intake from different sources with cardiovascular disease incidence in the prospective cohort of UK Biobank participants

What the research says

Supports is higher

Support is ahead, but a single strong opposing study can change this.

Supports
60score
Challenges
0score

These are independent scores, not a percentage. Higher-grade studies count more, so a single strong opposing study can outweigh several weaker ones.

Correlation
1 study reviewed
In plain English

Consuming free sugars from milk-based drinks and tea or coffee is linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, with the lowest risk occurring when no free sugars are consumed from these sources.

See the scientific wording

Free sugars from milk-based drinks and tea/coffee are linearly associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk, with the lowest risk at 0% energy intake, indicating that added sugars in these beverages may contribute to harm similarly to sugary sodas.

Why this might work

When sugar is added to drinks like milk, tea, or coffee, the body absorbs it quickly, sending large amounts of fructose and glucose to the liver. The liver turns this excess sugar into fat, which builds up in the liver and spills into the bloodstream as triglycerides. This fat buildup makes the body resistant to insulin, raises blood pressure, and damages blood vessel walls. Over time, this causes fatty plaques to form in arteries, which can rupture and block blood flow, leading to heart attacks or strokes.

Verified mechanismbased on 1 study

What the research says

1 study
  1. Study: Association of sugar intake from different sources with cardiovascular disease incidence in the prospective cohort of UK Biobank participants

    Adding sugar to milk, tea, or coffee is linked to a higher risk of heart disease, just like sugary sodas — the more sugar you add, the higher the risk, and the least risk happens when you add no sugar at all.

Score breakdown, mechanism chain, raw evidence, ideal studies needed & 1 supporting studies

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Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.