Brewed tea seems like a healthy choice. It comes in familiar fruit flavors and rarely gets the bad press that soda does.
However, high amounts of sugar completely change the picture. Once sweet tea is packed with added sugar, it loses its health benefits and becomes just as sweet and high in calories as a soft drink.
Cardiologists warn that drinking sugar-sweetened tea regularly can contribute to the conditions behind plaque buildup in the arteries. Many bottled and restaurant versions contain enough added sugar to rival a soft drink, even when the packaging presents them as a lighter choice.
Dr. Sirisha Vadali, a cardiologist who specializes in prevention, recently singled out sugar-sweetened tea as one drink people tend to underestimate. She told Parade that regular sugary drink consumption can contribute to elevated triglycerides, insulin resistance, weight gain and chronic inflammation.
Those problems do not block an artery overnight. Over time, however, they create conditions that raise the risk of atherosclerosis, heart attack and stroke.
Sweet Tea Can Carry a Full Day of Added Sugar
The amount depends on the brand, recipe and serving size. A lightly sweetened homemade glass is very different from a large fountain drink or a commercially bottled tea.
The American Heart Association recommends limiting added sugar to no more than 36 grams a day for most men and 25 grams for most women. A large sweet tea can reach or pass those limits on its own.
The word tea can distract from that number. Brewed tea contains plant compounds and very few calories before sweeteners enter the drink. Once several spoonfuls of sugar or syrup are added, the body processes it as another sugar-sweetened beverage.
The American Heart Association lists sweetened coffee and tea among common sources of added sugar. It also advises people to check the Nutrition Facts panel for the separate “Added Sugars” line rather than relying on claims printed on the front of the package.
Honey, cane sugar, fruit juice concentrate and syrups still count as added sugar. A natural-sounding ingredient name does not change how much sugar reaches the bloodstream.
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How a Sugary Drink Can Affect the Arteries?
Sugar does not travel directly into an artery and turn into plaque. The process is slower and involves several connected changes inside the body.
Liquid sugar is absorbed rapidly because the drink contains little fiber, fat or protein to slow digestion. Blood glucose rises, followed by an increase in insulin. A daily pattern of large sugar loads can contribute to insulin resistance, making it harder for the body to control blood sugar.
The liver can also convert excess sugar into triglycerides. High triglycerides are linked with a less favorable cholesterol profile and a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.
Persistently high blood sugar can damage the inner lining of blood vessels. Cholesterol and other material then collect in damaged areas, forming plaque that narrows the artery.
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute explains that diabetes, high blood pressure, unhealthy cholesterol levels, smoking and inflammation can all help start or accelerate plaque buildup.
As we already explained in our guide to non-HDL cholesterol levels, triglyceride-carrying particles are part of the wider cholesterol picture doctors use to assess artery and heart risk.
Research Links Sugary Drinks With Heart Disease and Stroke
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A 2025 umbrella review published in Nutrition Journal examined evidence from earlier systematic reviews and meta-analyses. The researchers found that higher consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages was associated with greater risks of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, stroke, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and premature death.
The category included soda, sweetened tea and other drinks with added sugar. The findings do not show that one glass causes heart disease. They point to the risk attached to repeated consumption over a long period.
The review of sweetened beverages and cardiovascular outcomes also found that the health concerns extended beyond body weight. Sugar intake was connected with changes in blood glucose, blood pressure, inflammation and blood fats.
Exercise offers major cardiovascular benefits, though it does not fully cancel a daily sugary drink. The American Heart Association reported that one large U.S. study linked one sugary drink per day with an 18% higher risk of cardiovascular disease, regardless of physical activity level.
That fits the broader pattern described in our earlier coverage of the main causes of cardiovascular disease. Plaque risk builds through several factors, including cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, diet and physical inactivity.
Unsweetened Tea Is a Different Drink
Tea itself is not the problem identified by cardiologists. Added sugar is.
Unsweetened black tea, green tea and herbal tea provide flavor without the repeated sugar load. People accustomed to very sweet drinks can reduce the amount in stages rather than switching immediately.
A practical first step is to compare labels. Two bottles that look almost identical can contain very different amounts of sugar. The serving count also deserves attention because a single bottle sometimes contains more than one listed serving.
Alternatives include:
- Unsweetened iced tea with lemon
- Tea with a small measured amount of sugar
- Cold water with citrus or cucumber
- Plain sparkling water
- Low-sugar electrolyte drinks during prolonged exercise or extreme heat
Energy drinks, fruit drinks, flavored coffee and many sports beverages deserve the same label check. Fruit juice contains natural sugar rather than added sugar when it is 100% juice, though it still delivers a concentrated dose without most of the fiber found in whole fruit.
Problems With Arteries Can Develop Without Warning
Atherosclerosis can develop for years before symptoms appear. Feeling healthy does not confirm that the arteries are clear.
Blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides and blood glucose provide a clearer view of cardiovascular risk. Family history, smoking, kidney disease and diabetes also affect the level of concern.
People with high results should discuss them with a healthcare professional. Dietary changes help, though medication and additional testing are necessary for certain patients.
Our report on heart disease statistics in the United States shows why early prevention remains important. Heart disease continues to cause hundreds of thousands of deaths each year, while high blood pressure and unhealthy cholesterol remain widespread.
The Daily Habit Is the Main Concern
An occasional sweet tea does not decide the future of the heart. The bigger concern is a large serving that becomes part of every lunch, commute or evening meal.
Replacing that daily drink with unsweetened tea removes a recurring source of added sugar without changing the rest of the meal. The improvement becomes more useful when combined with regular activity, adequate sleep, balanced meals and routine medical checks.
Sweet tea still has tea in it. From the point of view of the arteries, the sugar deserves equal billing.
References
- Parade, This Popular Drink Could Be Clogging Your Arteries, a Cardiologist Warns
- American Heart Association, How Much Sugar Is Too Much?
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Atherosclerosis Causes and Risk Factors
- Nutrition Journal, Sweetened Beverages and Cardiovascular Outcomes
