InterWined is deeply suspicious of anything that fizzes but isn’t sparkling wine or water. And now that paranoia is about to be reinforced with the latest news on health day at InterWined.com:

Drinking more than one soft drink daily — whether it’s regular or diet — may be associated with an increase in the risk factors for heart disease, as reported in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association

The researchers found that individuals consuming one or more soft drinks a day had a 48 percent increased prevalence of the metabolic syndrome compared to those consuming less than one soft drink daily.

“We were struck by the fact that it didn’t matter whether it was a diet or regular soda that participants consumed, the association with increased risk was present,” said Ramachandran Vasan, M.D., senior author and professor of medicine at Boston University School of Medicine. “In those who drink one or more soft drinks daily, there was an association of an increased risk of developing the metabolic syndrome.”

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of cardiovascular disease and diabetes risk factors including excess waist circumference, high blood pressure, elevated triglycerides, low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL “good” cholesterol) and high fasting glucose levels. The presence of three or more of the factors increases a person’s risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Prior studies linked soft drink consumption to multiple risk factors for heart disease. However, this study showed that association not only included drinking regular calorie-laden soft drinks, but artificially sweetened diet sodas as well, researchers said.

“Moderation in anything is the key,” said Ravi Dhingra, M.D., lead author of the study and an instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School. “If you are drinking one or more soft drinks a day, you may be increasing your risk of developing metabolic risk factors for heart disease.”

Those who drank one or more soft drinks a day had a:

– 31 percent greater risk of developing new-onset obesity
– 30 percent increased risk of developing increased waist circumference
– 25 percent increased risk of developing high blood triglycerides or high fasting blood glucose
– 32 percent higher risk of having low HDL levels

InterWined reminds all that the sugars and chemicals in wine are naturally-derived, plant-based molecular structures. These structures are easily recognized by the smaller elements of the digestive tract. Recognition means better metabolism. Unnatural, lab-derived chemicals, served in the form of a processed (if delicious) beverage, confuses the body — to a point where it may begin to shut itself down.

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