According to a study in the Journal of the American Society Nephrology, eating foods that contain high levels of fructose may increase your risk of high blood pressure.

In an effort to determine the effects of too much fructose on heart health, researchers surveyed more than 4,500 people aged 18 years or older about their consumption of foods and drinks containing high levels of sugar.

The results of the study show that the people whose diet included fruit juices, soft drinks, baked goods and candy had an increased risk of developing high blood pressure. Researchers also discovered that the more sugar-sweetened foods and beverages a person consumed, the higher their risk of being diagnosed with high blood pressure could be.

“Our study identifies a potentially modifiable risk factor for high blood pressure,” said Diane Jalal, a researcher from the University of Colorado Denver Health Sciences Center. She added that “however, well-planned prospective randomized clinical studies need to be completed to see if low fructose diets will prevent the development of hypertension and its complications.”

In 2006, approximately 326,000 people died from complications linked to high blood pressure, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).