We know that sugar is bad for our teeth and weight. But you may not know it is bad for your heart. HDL cholesterol, the healthy cholesterol, is important in preventing cholesterol buildup in your arteries. This helps to prevent heart attacks, strokes and peripheral artery disease. HDL is affected by sugar. I study reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association, April 2010, “Researchers found that as the added sugar intake went up, HDL cholesterol levels fell in a step-wise regression.… For every 5% increase in added sugar, HDL cholesterol levels fell about 3%. Keep in mind that for every 1% decrease in HDL cholesterol levels, the risk of coronary heart disease increases about 3%. This increased risk is substantial when you realize that the average adult’s intake of added sugar is 16% of calories eaten. In 1978 the average intake of added sugar was only 10.6%.” The American Heart Association recommends that you “limit added sugar intake to less than 5% of your daily calories. That is about 100 calories per day for women (6 teaspoons of sugar) or 150 calories per day for men (9 teaspoons of sugar). Any intake over this amount shows a significant drop in HDL cholesterol.” (MAKING HEALTHY CHOICES, June 2011) “The free use of sugar in any form tends to clog the system, and is not infrequently a cause of disease.” (Counsels of Diet & Food, 198) So why not exercise the option of not eating or drinking items that are high in white sugar, for better health!