Soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages are associated with higher blood pressure, according to researchers in the International Study of Macro/ Micronutrients and Blood Pressure.

Participants who consumed more glucose and fructose, sweeteners found in highfructose corn syrup, a common sweetener in beverages, had higher blood pressure levels. Higher blood pressure was even more pronounced in those who consumed high levels of both sugar and sodium.

“This points to another possible intervention to lower blood pressure,” said Paul Elliott, Ph.D., senior author and professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics in the School of Public Health at Imperial College London. “These findings lend support for recommendations to reduce the intake of sugar-sweetened beverages, as well as added sugars and sodium in an effort to reduce blood pressure and improve cardiovascular health.”