Everyday a new headline appears:
"Is Sugar Toxic?"
"The Bitter Truth about Sugar"
"Sugar is Now Number One Enemy in Western Diet"
What is the problem with sugar and why such a fuss? What sugars are actually bad for you and why?
What is refined sugar?
There are many different forms of refined sugar, with two we hear of the most. The first type is table sugar. Table sugar is either sugarcane or beet sugar that has undergone the refining process to have all the molasses (and all the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients) removed, leaving only the crystals. It's what you put in coffee or use to bake.
The second type is High Fructose Corn Syrup, or HFCS. HFCS is a heavily processed byproduct of corn. It is inexpensive to produce, and in the US, is added to most processed foods in place of sugar.
What is refined sugar?
There are many different forms of refined sugar, with two we hear of the most. The first type is table sugar. Table sugar is either sugarcane or beet sugar that has undergone the refining process to have all the molasses (and all the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients) removed, leaving only the crystals. It's what you put in coffee or use to bake.
The second type is High Fructose Corn Syrup, or HFCS. HFCS is a heavily processed byproduct of corn. It is inexpensive to produce, and in the US, is added to most processed foods in place of sugar.
There are many other kinds of refined sugar, and they go by many different names. Refined sugar is in everything. Food purchased from the supermarkets shelves or fast food restaurants is packed with refined sugars and artificial sweeteners, frequently hidden under other names. It's in sauces and pizzas, bread and sweets, yogurts and canned goods, health foods and protein bars. And not just in forms you recognize. Do you recognize all the names of sugar?
Why does it matter?
According to statistics, sugar consumption is at an all time high, as is obesity and obesity related disease. For decades, we've been told that saturated fat is the problem, but new research is emerging that indicates fats aren't the problem at all, it's the added sugar.
Research states while we were being told to eat less fat, we got fatter. Fat is what gives flavour, and when the fat was taken out of our food, so was the flavour. So what did food companies do? Add sugar! And, a lot of it, too.
The USDA said in 2000, Americans were eating an average of 152 pounds (68.9kg) of sugar a year. That works out to 1/3 pound (180 grams) of sugar a day! That's more than half a cup of sugar consumed in one day! According to the American Heart Association, the average man should not eat more than 150 calories of sugar a day, or 37.5 grams (9 teaspoons). Yet, the average American is consuming nearly 5 times that amount.
According to statistics, sugar consumption is at an all time high, as is obesity and obesity related disease. For decades, we've been told that saturated fat is the problem, but new research is emerging that indicates fats aren't the problem at all, it's the added sugar.
Research states while we were being told to eat less fat, we got fatter. Fat is what gives flavour, and when the fat was taken out of our food, so was the flavour. So what did food companies do? Add sugar! And, a lot of it, too.
The USDA said in 2000, Americans were eating an average of 152 pounds (68.9kg) of sugar a year. That works out to 1/3 pound (180 grams) of sugar a day! That's more than half a cup of sugar consumed in one day! According to the American Heart Association, the average man should not eat more than 150 calories of sugar a day, or 37.5 grams (9 teaspoons). Yet, the average American is consuming nearly 5 times that amount.
Australia doesn't consume as much sugar as the US, however, we're still overeating it. A 2007 study by the Australian Government Department of Health and Aging indicated that the average Australian teenage boy is consuming 90 grams of added sugar per day. That's more than 1/3 cup.
Unlike fats, sugar contains no nutritional value. Fats contain nutrients and fatty acids we need for our bodies to function properly, but sugar is essentially empty calories that are addictive and making us sick.
Why Sugar is Addictive
Addictive substances are addictive because they release the chemical dopamine into our brains, which gives rise to feelings of pleasure. The substances that we know to release dopamine are drugs, alcohol and, more recently, refined sugars.
According to a journal article that appeared in Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, "Addictive substances rarely occur in nature; they are typically created through processing" (Gearhardt Spring 2013, pp 46-47). The study goes on to explain that the coca leaf is not an addictive substance on it's own, but when refined to cocaine, it becomes easily absorbed into the body, as it "hijacks the reward system". Sugar is no different.
Natural sugars, such as those found in fruit (fructose), or milk (lactose) are not a problem. They contain vitamins, minerals, fibre and health benefits. They are slowly absorbed into our systems as our bodies breakdown the nutrients. But when we consume sugar in a highly refined state, the sugar is quickly absorbed into our system.
Sugar triggers a release of dopamine, which releases pleasurable feelings. It tells you that what you're doing is good and makes you want to do it again and again. But it also dulls receptors in your brain, so each time you need to eat more sugar in order to get the high. This is why sugar addiction is now being classified as a genuine addiction by many researchers.
There was a time when I read these statistics and laughed them off. I thought, "Really? Why would you give up sugar? Or processed foods? There's nothing wrong with them!" If someone had told me three years ago I would not only be completely refined sugar free, but blogging about it, I would have laughed in their face.
I chose to ignore the truth because I wanted the sugar. I wanted to eat the junk and enjoy it. I didn't want to give up my favourite foods or have to sacrifice anything. Even for my health.
But, don't take my word for it. Do research for yourself and your family. Once you see the truth, it's hard to deny.
Enjoying this series? Keep an eye out for Part Three.
Read it for yourself:
(Sorry to bombard you with such a long list, but the research is thorough)
In the News:
Is Sugar Toxic? in The New York Times
The Bitter Truth About Sugar in The Telegraph U.K.
10 Things You Didn't Know About Sugar in The Huffington Post
Research:
(Please note some of this research is not available to the general public until a subscription fee is paid)
Daily bingeing on sugar repeatedly releases dopamine in the accumbens shell
Evidence for sugar addiction: Behavioral and neurochemical effects of intermittent, excessive sugar intake
Pro-Aging Effects of Glucose Signaling through a G Protein-Coupled Glucose Receptor in Fission Yeast
‘Metabolic syndrome' in the brain: deficiency in omega-3 fatty acid exacerbates dysfunctions in insulin receptor signalling and cognition
The Bittersweet Truth About Sugar Labeling Regulations: They are Achievable and Overdue
If Sugar is Addictive...What Does It Mean for the Law?
(Gearhardt A, Roberts M, Ashe M, Spring 2013, If Sugar is Addictive....What Does It Mean for the Law, Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics)
Hypertriglyceridemia, insulin resistance, and the metabolic syndrome
Fructose, weight gain, and the insulin resistance syndrome
USDA Agriculture Factbook
2007 Australian National Nutrition and Children's Activity Survey
And, although this author has cited no actual research, I found it very interesting, and her opinions supported by the other research cited above: The Role of Dopamine and Sugar Cravings
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