The Huffington Post reports that sugar, even in supposedly healthy doses, may have unforeseen negative effects on your health. Researchers from the University of Utah fed laboratory mice 25 percent more sugar (approximately three cans of soda a day) and found that female mice that were fed this saccharine diet had twice the risk of dying early and producing fewer offspring.

Senior author and biology professor Wayne Potts says that cutting back on our sugar intake may help us avoid potential health problems in the near future. "Our results provide evidence that added sugar consumed at concentrations currently considered safe exerts dramatic adverse impacts on mammalian health," he explains. "I have reduced refined sugar intake and encouraged my family to do the same."

While more research is needed to see whether the effects of sugar in mice may be similar to those in humans, previous studies have shown that a sweet diet may lead to obesity, Alzheimer’s disease, and cardiovascular issues.

Experts recommend going easy on food and drinks with ingredients such as corn syrup, fructose, and sucrose among others and lowering your overall sugar consumption. Monitoring your sugar intake may not only help you stay fit but also help fend off possible health complications.

(Photo by david pacey via Flickr Creative Commons)