Robert lustig, one of the leading experts on childhood obesity, and arguably the number one enemy of the sugar lobby, has published a well written article in the prestigious scientific journal nature arguing that sugar is a poison. Why fear of sugar addiction may be more toxic than. Sugar and other sweeteners are, in fact, so toxic to the human body that they should be regulated as strictly as alcohol by governments worldwide, according to a commentary in the current issue of. Sugar, they find, is the cause of chronic disease and early death. The toxic truth about sugar added sweeteners pose dangers to health that justify controlling them like alcohol, argue robert h. In 1800, the average person consumed about 18 pounds of sugar per year. Over the past 50 years, consumption of sugar has tripled worldwide. Sugar is delicious and sweet, yet dangerous and addicting. Fructose and the toxic effects of sugar february 3 2017 by dr.
I think the focus often placed on making sugar itself a toxin may be somewhat based on some faulty premises and extrapolations from epidemiological data that uses too broad a brush. Robert lustig, a pediatric endocrinologist at the university of california, san francisco delivered a ninety minute lecture entitled sugar. The sugar in our bodies, glucose, is a fundamental fuel for body and brain, says david levitsky, ph. It proffers a set of biochemical alterations that are detrimental to human healthunrelated to its calories. Sugar accumulation was preceded by a lag phase of about 4 days. Article sugar is a toxic agent that creates conditions for.
Scientists find processed sugar toxic heal naturally. It can also be argued that fructose exerts toxic effects on the liver that are similar to those of alcohol 1. Sugar not so toxic response by the dietitians association of australia to an opinion piece in the 2 february issue of the journal nature titled the toxic truth about sugar. Cosmos and culture forceful voices, like that of pediatric endocrinologist robert lustig, insist that eating sugar is highly toxic. I wouldnt say that sugar is toxic if a small amount helps me consume diseasefighting foods. May 28, 20 depending on affiliation, some of the pro sugar folks debate back and forth about the advantages or disadvantages of sucrose natural sugar from beets, cane, etc. Objective to examine time trends of added sugar consumption as percentage of. Mar 12, 2014 comments on the toxic truth about sugar article 1. Deliciously sweet, dangerously addictive, unsurprisingly toxic. Jun 21, 2019 it is toxic only in the sense that overconsumption leads eventually to problems with blood sugar regulation that make the levels in our blood toxic. Lustig presents a tempting, epic story of good versus evil, concluding in both his video and a recent commentary in the journal nature that the. Few prospective studies have examined the association of added sugar intake with cvd mortality. These two sweettasting molecules differ structurally, however, as fructose has a ketogroup on the second carbon while glucose presents an aldehyde group on the first carbon. If all sugar does is add calories to the diet, just as.
So too is alcohol, but in both cases, too much of a good thing is toxic. Objective to examine time trends of added sugar consumption as percentage of daily calories in the. Fructose is the sugar that makes fruit taste sweet. Sugar is toxic you must master sugar if you are to have a. The toxic truth about sugar 1291 words 6 pages when most people think about sugar, their first thoughts are not. Robert lustig, sugarfructose professor lustigs the number one enemy of the sugar lobby. Mar 01, 2009 toxic truth is a compelling and forceful portrayal of the lives and pain of these two remarkable scientific pioneers. Toxic food guide for pets what not to feed dogs and cats rhubarb rhubarb, a vegetable, contains oxalates which trigger abnormalities with the nervous system, kidneys and digestive tract. May 03, 2018 perhaps the bestknown antiadded sugar public figure is pediatric endocrinologist dr. Still, theres a big difference in how the sugar is packaged. Apr 17, 2011 by this logic, sugarsweetened beverages or h.
Even if the evidence showed otherwise, that sugar addiction was real and sugar is in fact toxic, there is still no scientific study to support any proposed sugar detox plan as an effective way to resolve feelings of addiction, heal the proposed damage caused by the supposed toxic effects of sugar, or enhance our bodys existing detoxification. In light of emerging health issues, and their likelihood to be associated with sugar intake, in 2015 the world health organization recommended that both adults and children reduce their daily added sugar intake to less than 5%, or just 6 teaspoons. The toxic truth too much fructose can damage your liver, just like too much alcohol. Claire brindis, was published in the scientific journal nature last week. There are more than 40 synonyms for processed sugar on food labels. In december, lustig will publish a book on nutrition, fat chance hudson street press, which includes his views on fructose. Rhubarb is commonly used in recipes for pies, jams, jellies, sauces and juice. There is growing scientific consensus that one of the most common types of sugar, fructose, can be toxic to the liver, just like alcohol. If it takes adding some sugar to enjoy the flavors and health benefits of yogurt and cranberries, im all for it as long as good sense is applied. The article that kicked off the 4 million you tube hit lecture. If all sugar does is add calories to the diet, just as any other food does, then it is, in effect, benign. Sugar consumption is linked to a rise in noncommunicable disease sugars effects on the body can be similar to those of alcohol regulation could include tax, limiting sales during school hours.
This is the sugar that is present in fizzy drinks, desserts and many processed foods. Sep 02, 20 there are more than 40 synonyms for processed sugar on food labels. In a new report, they maintain that sugar is fueling a global obesity pandemic, contributing to 35 million deaths annually worldwide from noncommunicable diseases. The single largest source of calories for americans comes from sugarspecifically high fructose corn syrup. Sugar should be regulated as toxin, researchers say live. Sugar is a toxic agent that creates conditions for. For context purposes, its important to realize that one can of soda contains nearly 10 tsp of sugar. Jul 05, 2017 even if the evidence showed otherwise, that sugar addiction was real and sugar is in fact toxic, there is still no scientific study to support any proposed sugar detox plan as an effective way to resolve feelings of addiction, heal the proposed damage caused by the supposed toxic effects of sugar, or enhance our bodys existing detoxification. The body cant tell the difference between natural sugar and added sugar, and processes it all the same way.
Comments on the toxic truth about sugar muhammad ikhsan assaat scienti. There are a lot of things that are otherwise healthy and necessary for life that become lifethreatening in high enough. Scientists from the university of california at san francisco have concluded that sugar is not simply empty calories. Jan 24, 2018 sugar is delicious and sweet, yet dangerous and addicting. In 2012, 60 minutes ran a segment on toxic sugar featuring lustig.
Regulating products based on a scientific risk analysis is a worthy goal, but i contend that robert lustig and colleagues oversimplify the toxic truth about refined carbohydrates nature 482, 2729. Sugar consumption is linked to a rise in ncd, and its effects on the body can be similar to those of alcohol 27. In this way, lustig says, sugar is very much like alcohol, and chronic metabolic diseases associated with alcohol are becoming prevalent in children with highsugar diets. Many people think that obesity is the root cause of these diseases. The worlds sugar industry was the subject of the streatfeild memorial lecture delivered at the institute of chemistry by mr. If sugar was uniquely toxic, in that it possessed some special property that made us respond to it by accumulating fat or becoming diabetic, then government health agencies would have to regulate it. Xylitol xylitol is a sugar substitute commonly used in toothpastes. You must master sugar if you are to have a chance in todays sugar toxic world.
It is because the table sugar that we use also contains fructose. Sugar calories act differently in the body, driving biology toward diabetes. One of our favorite things about paleo is the natural decrease in sugar consumption that it brings to most diets, simply because it means eating real foods. As we walk down the grocery isle, our eyes cast over the simplest products, those products with health written all over it. The nyt opinion recently ran a piece on a plos one study that links increased sugar availability to increased rates of obesity and diabetes. Lee institute for health policy studies at the university of california at san francisco, in the accompanying commentary new unsweetened truths about sugar.
Sugar may not be toxic to everyone, but restricting our diets to whole foods and thereby reducing its intake by a lot sure makes people feel a whole lot better in general. Depending on affiliation, some of the pro sugar folks debate back and forth about the advantages or disadvantages of sucrose natural sugar from beets, cane, etc. Beth haney, dnp, fnpc doctor of nursing practice, family nurse practitioner luxe aesthetic and. Evidence is mounting that sugar is the primary factor causing not just obesity, but also many chronic and lethal diseases. Sanjay gupta reports on new research showing that beyond weight gain, sugar can take a serious toll on your health, worsening conditions ranging from heart disease to cancer. Toxic truth is a compelling and forceful portrayal of the lives and pain of these two remarkable scientific pioneers.
The toxic truth about sugar with robert lustig, md youtube. Analysis of lustigs the toxic truth about sugar 1189 words 5 pages sweet, sweet liberty in their 2012 article, the toxic truth about sugar, lustig et al argue that sugar, like alcohol, ought to be regulated by governments due to the harm it can cause to individuals health and the public good. At the same time, the rates of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity have risen significantly during the past six decades. Once you completely understand just how bad sugar is for you in hundreds of ways you will curse your sweet.
Rather than demonizing sugar, the authors would have better served public health with recommendations to manage a balanced diet with exercise. Fructose is the sugar molecule that is being added in a lot of sweetening agents high fructose corn syrup or hfcs. Jan 31, 2012 in a new report, they maintain that sugar is fueling a global obesity pandemic, contributing to 35 million deaths annually worldwide from noncommunicable diseases like diabetes, heart disease and. But the message comes off as misleading, because its like there is the part that is intended to grab your attention sugar is toxic and then there is the disclaimer in large doses. You dont have to be a slave to potentially toxic sugar. Its interesting that the heart foundation and scientists didnt agree with the toxic sugar book written by you know who, and sent the big guns out. Sugar has been sensationally labeled as toxic in an opinion piece in the february 2012 issue of the journal nature. Latest sugarscience research growing scientific evidence shows that eating too much added sugar is linked to serious diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease and liver disease. Sanjay gupta reported on new research coming out of some of americas most respected institutions, which find that sugar the way its being. An impressively researched and welldocumented book, it is an astonishing chronicle of one of the most insidious and avoidable health problems of our time.
It may be helpful to look to the many genera tions of international experience with alcohol and tobacco to find models that work 8,9. Fructose is a hexose with the same chemical formula, c 6 h 12 o 6, as glucose. The food industry tries to convince us that all calories are the same. By now, we all realize that our bodies dont need sugar for survival. Robert lustig, an expert on childhood obesity at the university of california, san francisco, told the fifth estates gillian findlay. You have free access to this content nutrition bulletin volume 37, issue 2, article first published online. Just take a look at the sugar consumption trends of the past 300 years.
Robert lustig, whose bestselling 20 book fat chance. Fructose and the toxic effects of sugar diet doctor. Evidence is growing that sugar is the culprit for many health issues including obesity. In the united states, people consume, on average, close to 40 kilograms of sugar per person per year, or more than 20 teaspoons per person per day. Theres some truth in saying sugar is sugar, notes joy dubost, a registered dietitian based in washington, d. Sugar is addictive to the average person and it is poison to some who have underlying health issues. Long ago i threw out my sugar bin, my sugar bowl and sugar spoon and i never buy sugar, in any of its thousands of forms. Obituary philip lawley and the discovery that dna damage can cause cancer p. Most respondents consumed sweets averagely 12 day perweek in both sites. Jul 22, 2014 the new paradigm hypothesizes thattoo much sugar does not just make us fat.
This addictive commonly used food feeds cancer cells. Dec 22, 2016 if sugar was uniquely toxic, in that it possessed some special property that made us respond to it by accumulating fat or becoming diabetic, then government health agencies would have to regulate it. However, as research develops into the harmful ways of sugar, the surprising truth about sugar and where it is found, is revealed. Article sugar is a toxic agent that creates conditions.
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