Most of us know eating too much sodium—something most Americans do by far—greatly raises the risk for high blood pressure, among other serious health conditions. But it’s not just salt, according to newly published research. It’s also eating a diet too high in fructose, a simple sugar that's a key component in table sugar (sucrose) and high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and often found in soft drinks, yogurt, manufactured breads and cookies, salad dressing, and other processed foods and drinks. Researchers at the University of Colorado Denver found that among 4,528 adults ages 18 or older, those who consumed 74 grams or more per day of fructose (the equivalent of 2.5 sugary sodas) had between 26 percent to 77 percent higher increased risk for high blood pressure.
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