AN OCCASIONAL slice of cake or chocolate bar might actually be good for your heart, research suggests.

A study found people who indulge their sweet tooth around four times per week have a lower risk of heart disease or stroke than sugar-free fanatics.

Experts at Lund University in Sweden said it is not true that all sugar is bad.

Study author Suzanne Janzi said: “It is important to consider not just the amount of sugar consumed, but its source and context.

“Our findings suggest that extremely low sugar intake may not be necessary or beneficial for heart health.”

Data from 70,000 middle-aged adults showed that overall greater sugar intake was linked to higher rates of stroke or aortic aneurysm, a deadly swelling in the body’s biggest artery.

Fizzy drinks were found to be the most dangerous source of the sweet stuff and the biggest contributor to heart risks.

But people who ate very little to no added sugar had worse health than “low to moderate” consumers, who had the lowest heart risk.

People who treated themselves four times per week, on average, were between five and nine per cent less likely to suffer a serious heart condition.

They had lower chances of stroke, heart attack, heart failure, irregular heartbeat or narrowed arteries.

Writing in the journal Frontiers in Public Health, Ms Janzi said a sweet snack every now and then could be a sign of a healthy social life and a balanced diet.

She said: “The findings of this study indicate that not all sources of added sugar are equally harmful.

“Liquid sugars, found in sweetened beverages, typically do not make you feel as full as solid forms, potentially leading to overconsumption.

“People consuming very little sugar might have very restrictive diets or be limiting sugar due to pre-existing health conditions.

“Context also matters — treats are often enjoyed in social settings or special occasions, without necessarily being related with overall poor diet or lifestyle.

“Consumption of sweetened beverages, on the other hand, has been linked to lower overall diet quality.”

Chocolate, cake and biscuits consistently rank among Brits favourite treats and on average we eat about twice as much sugar as the recommended amount.

Heart diseases are one of the UK’s top killers and the leading cause of death in men – and second for women after dementia.

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