A healthy diet can reduce your risk of health problems, while certain foods can increase your chances of being exposed to diseases. The UK Blood Pressure Association advises to "avoid" breakfast cereals that contain added sugars when trying to maintain blood pressure levels within a healthy range. The charity's advice states: "Avoid breakfast cereals with added sugars, or adding more sugar on top."
It explains that added sugars in your preferred breakfast choice can lead to high blood pressure. The organization notes that it all comes down to weight gain, saying: "Foods that contain added sugar tend to be high in calories but often provide very little or no nutritional value at all. The excess energy can cause you to gain weight which can raise your blood pressure. It can also lead to diabetes. High blood pressure and diabetes increase the risk of heart disease and stroke, especially if you have both at the same time."
The website "Express" spoke to Mark Gilbert, a commercial nutrition expert at The1:1 Diet by Cambridge Weight Plan, who noted that this advice is also supported by research. Gilbert said: "According to a 2014 review of research in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, which considered over 11,000 studies, sugar is a significant cause of high blood pressure. Therefore, the last thing anyone needs is to start their day with a high-sugar cereal. In fact, even low-sugar cereals can spike blood sugar levels because they usually consist mainly of refined carbohydrates, and most people consume two to four times the recommended serving size."
If you don't want to give up breakfast, the UK Blood Pressure Association recommends choosing fruit instead of cereals. They advise "adding some fresh or frozen berries to sweeten your breakfast naturally." However, cereals with added sugars are not the only sources of free sugars. From foods to drinks, honey to juices, these sugars can be added to many products.
