Most of us can't help having sweet feelings towards a slice of birthday cake, or a piece of after dinner chocolate. Unfortunately, many of us are unaware of the dangers that lurk behind the processed white sugar in these products.
The Sugar Conspiracy
In the 1970s, a number of different studies emerged linking sugar to diseases such as diabetes, heart problems, inflammation, and other serious illnesses. People began eyeing sugar more hesitantly, and the sugar industry began losing sales. To turn this loss around, the sugar industry spearheaded a massive public relations campaign. Their mandate was to suppress papers highlighting the dangers of sugar, and to change the public's perception to ensure that sugar would not meet the same fate as tobacco.
In the 1970s, a number of different studies emerged linking sugar to diseases such as diabetes, heart problems, inflammation, and other serious illnesses. People began eyeing sugar more hesitantly, and the sugar industry began losing sales. To turn this loss around, the sugar industry spearheaded a massive public relations campaign. Their mandate was to suppress papers highlighting the dangers of sugar, and to change the public's perception to ensure that sugar would not meet the same fate as tobacco.
The Bitter Truth About Sugar
Refined sugar causes various health problems, and they start right at the mouth. When the normal bacteria inside your mouth come into contact with sugar, acid is produced, which destroys tooth enamel and eventually results in tooth decay.
Eating excess refined sugar causes the pancreas to over-produce or under-produce insulin, resulting in hypoglycaemia (the sugar blues), or diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes). These conditions eventually exhaust your liver, pancreas and adrenal glands as they try to keep your sugar levels in balance.
Furthermore, when the insulin levels in your body are high, certain short-lived hormones in our cells become pro-inflammatory. This leads to a growth of hidden inflammation, which is now seen as one of the biggest causes for heart attacks and other cardiovascular diseases.
To compound issues, a lot of vitamins and minerals are used up in the digestion of refined sugar. This process can deplete B-vitamins, calcium, and magnesium stores from your body which can lead to fatigue, depression, anxiety, osteoporosis and even arthritis.
Refined sugar causes various health problems, and they start right at the mouth. When the normal bacteria inside your mouth come into contact with sugar, acid is produced, which destroys tooth enamel and eventually results in tooth decay.
Eating excess refined sugar causes the pancreas to over-produce or under-produce insulin, resulting in hypoglycaemia (the sugar blues), or diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes). These conditions eventually exhaust your liver, pancreas and adrenal glands as they try to keep your sugar levels in balance.
Furthermore, when the insulin levels in your body are high, certain short-lived hormones in our cells become pro-inflammatory. This leads to a growth of hidden inflammation, which is now seen as one of the biggest causes for heart attacks and other cardiovascular diseases.
To compound issues, a lot of vitamins and minerals are used up in the digestion of refined sugar. This process can deplete B-vitamins, calcium, and magnesium stores from your body which can lead to fatigue, depression, anxiety, osteoporosis and even arthritis.
Sugar, By Any Other Name...
The Industry created a sweet solution - called High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), which is a liquefied version of sugar. The sugar industry put its advertising team to the test once again, and successfully convinced the public that HFCS was the safe alternative to sugar. As HFCS was cheaper to produce than processed sugar, manufacturing companies quickly switched from pricey sugar to the cheaper high fructose corn syrup.
Researchers soon found that long-term consumption of the HFCS led to increases in body fat and higher levels of triglycerides. They also found that individuals who drank beverages containing HFCS had higher levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) and higher levels of triglycerides than those who drank sucrose-sweetened beverages. Both LDL and high triglycerides are associated with the development of heart disease, diabetes and even liver fibrosis.
As people began pushing back with doubts about the safety of HFCS, the sugar industry is now pushing back with a "healthier, more natural alternative" to HFCS, called glucose. Can you guess what glucose is? It's good old-fashioned sugar.
The Industry created a sweet solution - called High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), which is a liquefied version of sugar. The sugar industry put its advertising team to the test once again, and successfully convinced the public that HFCS was the safe alternative to sugar. As HFCS was cheaper to produce than processed sugar, manufacturing companies quickly switched from pricey sugar to the cheaper high fructose corn syrup.
Researchers soon found that long-term consumption of the HFCS led to increases in body fat and higher levels of triglycerides. They also found that individuals who drank beverages containing HFCS had higher levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) and higher levels of triglycerides than those who drank sucrose-sweetened beverages. Both LDL and high triglycerides are associated with the development of heart disease, diabetes and even liver fibrosis.
As people began pushing back with doubts about the safety of HFCS, the sugar industry is now pushing back with a "healthier, more natural alternative" to HFCS, called glucose. Can you guess what glucose is? It's good old-fashioned sugar.
Slow Poison
In 2009, a pediatric endocrinologist named Robert Lustig shocked the health world by posting a public lecture titled 'Sugar: The Bitter Truth' on YouTube. Lustig state that sugar is bad for us; he also states that it's a toxin—a poison—that's just as bad for our health as tobacco or alcohol. He claims that sugar is dangerous because of the way that the body processes it.
Sugar is processed by the liver, causing it to work over-time. An over-worked liver means a fatty liver. And fatty liver can be dangerous. When liver cells die, these cells are replaced by scar tissue (called fibrosis). Severe fibrosis can cause liver failure, which includes symptoms such as jaundice, severe fatigue, or even coma. Amazingly, 20-30% of adults living in Western countries have been diagnosed with fatty liver.
The evidence speaks for itself: liver failure, heart disease, diabetes, inflammation and obesity. Call it high fructose corn syrup, glucose, or just plain old sugar: whatever the name, an over-consumption won't leave you with a sweet taste in your mouth. Do yourself and your body a favor: Avoid refined sugar altogether. Doing so will lead to the sweetest victory of all; your health.
In 2009, a pediatric endocrinologist named Robert Lustig shocked the health world by posting a public lecture titled 'Sugar: The Bitter Truth' on YouTube. Lustig state that sugar is bad for us; he also states that it's a toxin—a poison—that's just as bad for our health as tobacco or alcohol. He claims that sugar is dangerous because of the way that the body processes it.
Sugar is processed by the liver, causing it to work over-time. An over-worked liver means a fatty liver. And fatty liver can be dangerous. When liver cells die, these cells are replaced by scar tissue (called fibrosis). Severe fibrosis can cause liver failure, which includes symptoms such as jaundice, severe fatigue, or even coma. Amazingly, 20-30% of adults living in Western countries have been diagnosed with fatty liver.
The evidence speaks for itself: liver failure, heart disease, diabetes, inflammation and obesity. Call it high fructose corn syrup, glucose, or just plain old sugar: whatever the name, an over-consumption won't leave you with a sweet taste in your mouth. Do yourself and your body a favor: Avoid refined sugar altogether. Doing so will lead to the sweetest victory of all; your health.
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