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Liquid Sugar vs. Whole Fruit: Diabetes Risk You Must Know
Guest Contributor
When it comes to sugar, it turns out that how you consume it may matter just as much as how much you consume. A new study from Brigham Young University, published in the journal Advances in Nutrition, offers fresh insight into the relationship between sugar intake and type 2 diabetes. Drawing from data on more than 500,000 people worldwide, researchers found that liquid sugar — especially from soda and juice — carries a significantly higher risk than sugar consumed in whole foods like fruit. This large-scale analysis highlights an important distinction in how our bodies respond to sugar depending on its source.
The researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of dietary patterns across regions including Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America, and the United States. Their aim was to better understand the "dose-response relationship between dietary sugar intake" and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. What they uncovered was a striking difference in health outcomes based on the form in which sugar is consumed. Sugary beverages, in particular, stood out as a consistent contributor to elevated diabetes risk.
According to the study, each additional 12-ounce serving of a sugar-sweetened beverage, such as soda, was associated with a 25% increase in the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Fruit juice, while less harmful than soda, still showed a 5% increase per 12-ounce serving. Lead author Karen Della Corte, a nutritional science professor at BYU, emphasized this point in a statement: “It highlights why drinking your sugar, whether from soda or juice, is more problematic for health than eating it.”
I found this detail striking: the study doesn’t just warn against sugar in general, but specifically calls out the unique risks of consuming it in liquid form. That nuance feels especially important in a time when fruit juices are often marketed as healthy choices.
Interestingly, the study also found that sugars from whole foods like fruits and grains may not only be less harmful but could actually offer some protective benefits against type 2 diabetes. This suggests that the presence of fiber, fat, and protein — all naturally occurring in whole foods — plays a crucial role in moderating the body’s glycemic response. When sugar is stripped of these components, as it is in many beverages, it may create a higher glycemic load that places added stress on the liver and metabolic system.
Still, the researchers were careful to clarify that their findings don’t imply a one-to-one risk ratio. For example, drinking four sodas a day doesn’t mean a person will definitely develop diabetes. Rather, someone with a baseline 10% risk might see that risk rise to about 20%. The takeaway is not alarmism, but a more informed understanding of how sugar intake — especially in drinkable forms — influences long-term health outcomes.
Della Corte noted that this is the first study to provide clear dose-response relationships between different sugar sources and the risk of type 2 diabetes. The implications for public health guidelines are significant. “This study underscores the need for even more stringent recommendations for liquid sugars,” she said. Rather than applying a blanket approach to all sugars, future dietary advice might benefit from distinguishing based on source and form.
For those looking to make healthier choices, this research reinforces the importance of focusing not just on how much sugar is consumed, but how it’s delivered. Whole fruits, for instance, offer natural sugars packaged with fiber and nutrients that help regulate the body’s response. In contrast, sugary drinks deliver a concentrated dose of sugar without the balancing elements that whole foods provide.
In sum, the study from Brigham Young University adds meaningful depth to the conversation around sugar and metabolic health. It suggests that the form sugar takes — liquid or solid — can significantly impact its effect on the body. For individuals concerned about type 2 diabetes, this research offers a practical takeaway: choosing to eat your sugar, rather than drink it, could make a measurable difference.