The journal Circulation reported that more than 37,000 men and 80,000 women were studied for nearly 25 years, and researchers found that the more frequently sugar-sweetened beverages were consumed, the higher rate of all-cause mortality.

For those drinking more than two sweetened drinks per day, there was a 21 percent increase in all-cause mortality.

A similarly elevated risk was found for cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality and cancer mortality. The authors concluded, “Consumption of [sugar-sweetened beverages] was positively associated with mortality primarily through CVD mortality and showed a graded association with dose.”

You know I am not a fan of sweetened drinks, whether they are sweetened with sugar or artificial substances.

Ingesting too much sugar leads to a host of problems, including diabetes, cancer, Candida overgrowth, arthritis, and other inflammatory disorders.

One of the first things I discuss with patients is how to eat healthier. That includes eliminating refined sugar and artificially sweetened food sources.

For more information, see my book The Guide to Healthy Eating.