As we reported recently, a new study has bad news for those with a sweet tooth, as fructose, or sugar, has been tied with a great increase in cancer. But why is this the case, and what can you do about it?

The study found that high levels of fructose results in an increased risk of breast cancer tumors and metastasis to the lungs, and that’s a problem for those on Western diets who consume a lot of sugar and carbohydrates over the course of the day. The study results showed a massive increase in cancer for mice, with between 50 and 58 percent of them on a diet heavy in sucrose getting mammary tumors by six months of age, compared to 30 percent of mice on the control diet.

But why is this the case?

For the study, the researchers looked at sucrose, which is composed of both glucose and fructose and is commonly referred to as table sugar. The reason why the researchers did this is they wanted to see if one or the other made any difference at all, as fructose is processed by the liver whereas glucose is processed by the pancreas, according to a Today report.

They found that fructose is an inflammatory process, even more so than glucose. So while any sugar was inflammatory, fructose was particularly bad at instigating and helping to spread tumors.

What can you do about it? You don’t need to avoid fructose altogether, like just about anything it’s healthy in moderation. In fact, it’s found in healthy fruits mixed with other good stuff like fiber that will do your body good.

But there’s no question Americans are eating far more fructose than they should, and that number has gone way up in recent decades. Health officials advise eating less processed sugar: only 5 to 10 percent of your calories should come from sugar. That would amount of 10 teaspoons of sugar, about what’s in a can of soda. That’s not much, but as the report shows, maybe it’s worth it to dial it back a bit.