Is Sugar Really Toxic?
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Image by Flickr/Uwe Hermann
Should our consumption of sugar be regulated?
It seems like sugar is the new villain when it comes to weight loss and health
A recent article in Nature magazine argues that excessive added sugar in our food is to blame for a host of health problems including diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
The article was co-authored by public health experts Dr. Robert H. Lustig, Laura A. Schmidt and Claire D. Brindis.
Dr. Lustig has been very vocal about the dangers of excessive sugar consumption for a long time. But in this recent article he goes on to recommend a very controversial shift in public health policy. The authors want sugar to be regulated like tobacco and alcohol.
One form of sugar, fructose, is the most dangerous, the authors state, and any sweetener that contains this type of sugar is also lumped into this category. High fructose corn syrup, HFCS, is one such food additive.
But is this really true?
Sugar Alarmism
Alan Aragon, a nutritional expert, contends that views such as Dr. Lustig's amount to alarmism about sugar. He wrote a very detailed article regarding this topic. Subsequently he and Dr. Lustig had a very colourful online debate on the subject.
Aragon's viewpoint is that you cannot simply take one ingredient like fructose out of context from a person's lifestyle.
Total calorie count and activity levels need to be part of the equation.
The Verdict on Sugar
I tend to agree with Aragon's position.
While I don't condone sitting around eating donuts and drinking soda, I think taking the extreme act of regulating sugar (specifically fructose) is an overreaction. We should keep reaffirming the message of the benefits of increased activity along with moderation in your diet.
This weekend is my birthday weekend and you can bet your bottom dollar I'll be indulging in some delicious St. Andre cake without worrying about the sugar.
This is yet another biased article with no research to back it.
Here's a piece according to Grist:
"Research has shown fructose to be particularly harmful to human health. Unlike excess glucose, which passes through our digestive tract and is excreted, 100 percent of fructose that's consumed is taken up by the liver. Once there, fructose causes increased fat deposition in the abdominal cavity and increased blood levels of triglycerides -- both of which are risk factors for heart disease and diabetes."
For more info, go to www.mercola.com and use the search box to research HFCS (high fructose corn syrup). It's literally TOXIC for your body, not to mention that corn and corn derived products are GMO (Genetically Modified Organism).
How healthy is THAT?
Exercising is not enough if you feed your body with garbage. Nutrition is as important as exercise so do your research and READ THE LABELS before putting something in your mouth.
Click the links in the article to Alan's debate to get scientific references. Mercola's website is highly biased with many questionable claims in the articles. A little sugar isn't going to kill you.
Curb
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