Sugar is the Sweetest Poison of ALL
by Dr. Rajesh Vishwanathan
Our sugar consumption has hit the roof. Americans are eating more sugar than their ancestors. The exact figure is not known but it is estimated that it is over 120 pounds per person per year and that is an awful lot.
Among carbohydrates there are simple carbohydrates and there are complex carbohydrates that are found in starches. In nature sugars are found in an unrefined state in foods such as cane sugar, sugar beets, fruits, in corn and rice.
Even most vegetables have fair amounts of natural sugar and there is little problem in eating them; as they are totally digestible unless you suffer from food allergies.
The real problem lies in refining the sugar
Man has tampered with sugar by refining it. Refined sugar is bereft of essential vitamins and micronutrients such as, B-1, B-2, biotin, niacin, pantothenic acid, magnesium, and others. The body is now forced to burn this fuel without the help of the vitamins and micronutrients and this causes a strain on the body, as it has to depend on its own store of vitamins and micronutrients, which get depleted. Thus, long-term intake of refined or ‘naked’ sugar causes stress on the body by sapping it of its internal resources of nutrients and sub-clinical deficiencies occur. Refined sugar also lacks water and fiber
When refined sugar enters our system, the blood sugar rises and the body stores this sugar in the muscle cells and brain cells. It is converted into FAT. That is why refined sugar intake is associated with obesity. In addition the body over reacts to refined sugar causing your blood sugar to drop too quickly. Then you feel bad, with symptoms such as headache, irritability, fatigue, and abdominal pains, muddled thinking, even blurred vision, depression and other symptoms suggestive of low blood sugar. This is the root cause for sugar craving or sugar addiction.
Refined sugar is dangerous:
- Sugar has been proven to destroy the germ-killing ability of white blood cells for up to five hours after ingestion.
- It reduces the production of antibodies, proteins that combine with and inactivate foreign invaders in the body.
- It interferes with the transport of vitamin C, one of the most important nutrients for all facets of immune function.
- It causes mineral imbalances and sometimes it causes allergic reactions, which weaken the immune system.
- It neutralizes the action of essential fatty acids, thus making cells more permeable to invasion by allergens and microorganisms.
Sugar Related Health Problems
When I first read the list, I almost fell out of my chair. Even if refined sugar were responsible for half of the listed diseases, it would be a huge number.
- Acne
- Addiction to drugs, caffeine & food, Anxiety, Alcoholism, Behavior problems, Emotional problems, Binge eating, Difficulty concentrating, Mental illness, Mood swings
- Allergies and Asthma
- Arthritis, Bone loss, Gout and Osteoporosis
- Cancer (cancer cells feed on sugar)
- Candidiasis, Eczema, Vaginal yeast infections and Psoriasis
- Cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure
- Cataracts
- Colitis. Constipation, diverticulosis, Impaired digestion of all foods
- Indigestion
- Diabetes, Endocrine gland dysfunction
- Gallstones
- High blood cholesterol High estrogen levels and Hormonal problems and Menstrual difficulties
- Hypoglycemia
- Insomnia
- Kidney stones
- Liver dysfunction
- Shortened life span
- Tooth decay
Sugar Alternatives?
Artificial sugar substitutes
Some of the artificial sweeteners are Aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal), Saccharin (Sweet’N Low, SugarTwin), Acesulfame K (Sunett, Sweet One), Sucralose (Splenda) and Neotame. They are not totally safe.
Natural sugar substitutes
They are safer and natural and one can make great sweets with them.
Stevia is a very sweet herb from South America that’s available in powder and liquid form at health-food stores. Stevia with FOS is a nonnutritive powder found at health-food stores or in the health-food section of your grocery store. FOS stands for fruit ogiliosaccharides, which are beneficial for and support healthy intestinal bacteria, or flora.
Single blossom honey, such as red clover honey, or orange blossom honey is low-glycemic. You can comfortably use this to sweeten your beverages.
Xylitol is birch sugar, can be used for baking and sweetening beverages. Xylitol is low-glycemic and healthy for you. It doesn’t cause blood sugar imbalances or yeast overgrowth like table sugar. It’s thought to promote bone health and prevent tooth decay and plaque buildup. The only drawback is that if you eat too much, you could experience gastrointestinal discomfort and diarrhea
Fructose is a natural low-glycemic sugar that’s found in fruit Fructose is sweeter than regular table sugar, so you need less. The high fructose corn syrup can elevate the lipid levels and increase the risk of heart disease.
Sucrose is regular table sugar and it is medium-glycemic and fine for most people if you consume small amounts, as in sweetening your coffee.
The below saying below sums it all up.
“If only a small fraction of what is already known about the effects of sugar were to be revealed in relation to any other material used as a food additive, that material would promptly be banned.”
– John Yudkin MD, Ph.D., F.R.C.P., F.R.S.C., F.I. Biol., Prof of Nutrition at London University.
References:
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What? You have nothing to say?
Now is not the time to be silent. These issues affect us all
September 21st, 2007 at 3:02 pm
Great article, Dr. Raj! I also hear that Agave syrup is really good. I had it once and loved it.
update: I just found this amazing article on natural sugar substitutes
September 21st, 2007 at 4:26 pm
I went to a very liberal art college, and I my mind was so opened to so many things during those four years. I rememeber a sociology teacher asking us what we thought the most addictive drug was. Many of us answered alcohol or caffeine. SUGAR, our teacher told us, and went on to demonstrate all of the ill affects created by sugar and refined sugar. Ever since, I pretty much gave it up. I’ve now been strictly off of it for nine months. it takes a while to completely rid ourselves from it, but I’m beginning to feel better than ever.
September 21st, 2007 at 4:27 pm
Dave,
raw agave is great. I use it sometimes, although there is not enogh research to show whether or not it feed candida. Raw foodists consume it often. Its a great additive for sweet treats. I like it better than honey.
September 21st, 2007 at 6:28 pm
Hey Gina, yeah I hear “raw agave” is awesome, but it’s also said that most “raw” agave isn’t raw and it’s processed. Since there are no laws on “raw” labeling, it’s easy to be fooled. I’ll have to look more into this. My brother has been raving about raw honey, so I think I’ll pick up a jar (the own with the honeycomb on the bottom) Mmm…. Thanks.
September 22nd, 2007 at 7:29 am
Thanks for your input guys! (Gina and David)
I am overwhelmed by your response and that of our readers. Agave syrup is good. Aspartame has been cleared up the US FDA and I can tell you that they are not always right. I have no experience with Agave syrup. But another leaf that is interesting is Stevia.
Keep it going guys!
RV
September 22nd, 2007 at 10:41 am
You only provide a few websites as references so it’s difficult to evaluate your claims. One of those references is a company that sells vitamins, certainly not a neutral source of factual health information. Another is selling a book. The first two references are very large websites with a lot of health information, searches for “sugar” result in many hits about diabetes.
Many urban myths get propogated by people who never check their facts, and inaccuracies are often accepted as truths just because they’re seen so often, but repetition doesn’t make them true.
You also mention a “list” but do not say where the list came from.
While most people understand refined sugar is not good for us, and many studies have show negative effects, non-fact based scare articles like this one will only provide fuel for those who like to claim the anti-sugar press is mostly sensationalism.
September 22nd, 2007 at 11:26 pm
There are excellent references from mayoclinics.com against sugar. You can find the same in www.medscape.com.
Sometimes it is very difficult to squeeze in all the data a particular reader is looking for.
However I can assure you that our data is well researched and this website will not tolerate frivolous or badly researched claims.
January 9th, 2008 at 8:56 am
[…] Posted by Dr John King on 09 Jan 2008 at 08:55 am | Tagged as: Uncategorized | Read the orginal article here […]
February 11th, 2008 at 10:15 am
My dad use to chew on sugar canes that his gran gave him when he was little and living in Ghana and they’re very nice. ^_^ I assume as it is the raw cane and not refined, it’s ok? Anyway I recommend it, is yummy.
February 11th, 2008 at 11:35 am
yes… raw is much better. especially if your dad was getting it right from the source.
the only real prob with sugar in this form (as well as fruits etc) is that you want to really keep them in moderation because they do feed bad bacteria in your gut. Balance is key..
thanks for all of your comments!
Gina