Tea and coffee provide many health benefits, but for some people, the beverages are often a source of added sugar. A recent study found that adding sugar to tea or coffee increased the risk of premature death by 6 percent; adding sugar to coffee alone increased the risk by 11 percent.

Researchers tracked the health of more than 2,900 men enrolled in the Copenhagen Male Study over thirty years. The men provided information about their tea and coffee consumption and whether they added sugar to these beverages.

The researchers found that about a third of the men added sugar to their tea or coffee. Those who did were about 6 percent more likely to die prematurely from any cause than those who didn’t add sugar. Adding sugar to coffee alone increased the risk of dying early by about 11 percent.

The findings from this large, epidemiological study suggest that adding sugar to tea or coffee increases the risk of dying early, negating some of the longevity benefits often ascribed to the two beverages.

Sugars are natural components of the human diet, found in fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. However, the refined sugar typically added to beverages like tea or coffee is a highly processed product derived from sugar cane or sugar beets. It undergoes rapid metabolism in the body, causing insulin and blood sugar levels to skyrocket. Nearly 75 percent of adults in the US get about one-tenth of their daily calories from added, refined sugar. Learn more about the effects of sugar on human health in this episode featuring Dr. Rhonda Patrick.