Adding sugar to coffee and tea may not have a significant impact on health

The Copenhagen Men’s Study began in the 1970s and focused on Danish men aged 40 to 59.

Part of the initial research involved assessing the men’s heart and lung health and asking them to complete questionnaires about their lifestyle.

During one of the follow-up visits, doctors measured the participants’ blood pressure, height, and weight. One of the questionnaires the participants completed at the time asked about their coffee and tea consumption and whether they added sugar to the drinks.

From data available from the Copenhagen Male Study, researchers in the recent study analyzed data from 2,923 men who met the study’s inclusion criteria.

None of the men included in the study had a prior history of heart disease, cancer, or type 2 diabetes when they joined the study. In addition, researchers included only men who indicated they drank coffee or tea.

Researchers had access to the medical records of 99% of study participants, both living and deceased.

To begin the analysis, the researchers divided the participants into a sugar-consuming group and a no-sugar group, then calculated the risks of all-cause death, cancer death, heart disease death and type 2 diabetes for each group.

The researchers did not ask participants how much sugar they added to their coffee or tea, but assumed it was a miniature amount. Overall, they found no significant risk of health problems in the sugar group compared with the no-sugar group.

The mortality rate in the sugar group was 89.9%, and in the “no sugar” group – 87.5%. Over time, there was no statistically significant association between sugar consumption in coffee and tea and all-cause mortality.

When it comes to heart disease mortality, the sugar group also had a slightly higher — but comparable — rate. The sugar group’s rate was 38.2%, while the “no sugar” group’s rate was 35.3%.

When the researchers looked at the incidence of type 2 diabetes, they found that the “no sugar” group had a slightly higher rate of developing the disease than the sugar group. Again, there was no statistical difference in the association between the two groups over time.

The diabetes rate in the sugar consumption group was 8.1%, which was comparable to the rate in the “no sugar consumption” group of 9.9%.

“A significant finding of this study was that after adjusting for critical confounding factors, there was no statistically significant association between sugar intake in coffee and tea and all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease mortality, cancer mortality, or diabetes,” the authors write.

Dr. Sarah Stombaugha board-certified family physician and diplomat of the American Board of Obesity Medicine, who was not involved in this study, spoke with Medical News Today about the study.

“Interestingly, this study found no correlation between sugar intake in coffee and tea and mortality from heart disease, cancer or type 2 diabetes,” Dr. Stombaugh said.

“The good news is that this study shows that adding miniature amounts of sugar to our diet can be done without stern risk,” she commented.

Dr. Stombaugh emphasized that the study focused on adding sugar to home-made tea or coffee and that the sugar content in these home-made beverages can be drastically different from those purchased in restaurants or coffee shops.

“When someone adds sugar at home, they are likely to add less sugar than you would find in the flavored coffee drinks at your favorite coffee shop,” she noted.

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Kelsey Costa I also talked to MNT about the study and also emphasized the importance of the study examining home-made tea and coffee. She was not involved in the original research.

“It is critical to clarify that the amount of sugar typically added to homemade tea or coffee — around 5 grams — is much less than the sugar content in most commercially prepared beverages. The study focused on conventional tea and filtered black coffee, which typically have minimal added sugar, ruling out the more stern health effects of state-of-the-art, sweeter beverage options.”

-Kelsey Costa

While Costa found the study results compelling, she noted one particular weakness.

“The study offers stalwart results because of its 32-year duration, vast sample size, and nearly complete follow-up,” Costa noted. “However, it is restricted by its reliance on self-reported data and the assumption of stable intake over time, which may not reflect reality.”

She also noted that the study’s findings, which were based on Danish men, may not apply to other populations.

“The possibility of reducing sugar intake over time, changing socioeconomic status, and the impact of sugar in tea or coffee on other dietary choices require further investigation,” she added.

It is critical to pay attention to the nutritional facts when consuming food or drinks. Often, there may be added sugar to food products that people may not expect.

This Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that added sugars make up less than 10% of your daily calorie intake, and the amounts currently consumed pose a health risk.

While it is best to avoid added sugar, some sources of sugar are healthier than others.

If someone wants to satisfy their sweet tooth, they should focus on fruits. While the sugar in fruits can raise blood sugar levelsHowever, they can also provide nutritional benefits that are not associated with sugary drinks or snacks.