It has been suggested that a high sugar diet may result in lower intake of vitamins and minerals (micronutrients).
However, a new systematic review, published in the May issue of the British Journal of Nutrition found that the available evidence was too inconsistent and insufficient to be able to draw definitive conclusions that sugar intake adversely influenced micronutrient intake.
Some studies in the past had suggested that foods containing added sugars were consumed at the expense of foods containing greater amounts of micronutrients; so that the more added sugar in the diet, the lower the intake of necessary vitamins and minerals. However, in a review of the relevant literature published this month, Dr Rennie and colleagues at the University of Ulster questions this viewpoint, stating that, while some studies show that intake of certain micronutrients appears to decrease with added sugar in the diet, other studies show that increased amounts of added sugar are associated with an increased intake of vitamins and minerals.