(Miami Herald)
Whenever we have a bad day, it’s not uncommon to reach for the nearest sugary comfort food for a quick boost.
But a study published in the journal Scientific Reports has found a concerning link between a diet high in sugar and mood disorders in men.
Tracking the diets and medical conditions of 8,000 people over a span of 22 years, the study followed the diet of participants with surveys and visits to the doctor.
The goal was to probe for a link between what someone eats and their health outcomes – and researchers found that men who eat over 67 grams of sugar a day are 23 percent more likely to be diagnosed with depression or anxiety in a five-year period than men who consumed less than 40 grams. That link was not found in women, and the results for men were independent of socioeconomic status, drinking, smoking, physical activity, body weight or physical health.
Sixty-seven grams of sugar amounts to about six donuts or three average-size chocolate bars, according to Fortune, while two 12-ounce cans of coke contain 78 grams of sugar.
Sugar is hidden in just about everything we eat these days. Check out the number of grams in supposedly healthy foods:
Smoothies = 96 grams of sugar
Low-Fat Yogurt = 47 grams of sugar
Sports Drinks = 32 grams of sugar
Vitamin-water = 32 grams of sugar
Protein Bars = 30 grams of sugar
18 Foods and Drinks That Are Surprisingly High in Sugar
