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Jan. 15, 2006 - Sugar - The Disease GeneratorOn some level most of us know that sugar is not healthy, but I don't think the majority of us have any idea truly how devastating sugar is. And reducing one's sugar consumption is challenging as it is highly addictive, causing withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, mood swings, depression, fatigue, and cravings.
Even as early as the 60s, the research of Alfred Lopez repeatedly pointed to sugar as being a significant player in the development of heart disease, and then Ahrens' work in the 70s found the same thing. Sugar causes an increase in the adhesiveness of the blood platelets, which may be the reason for its role in heart disease. Sugar is also implicated as a causative factor in type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, kidney disease, liver disease, obesity, and depression, and is important in the growth of cancerous tumors, as cancer cells love sugar. Every tablespoon of sugar depresses the immune system for up to 6 hours. If you find that you are constantly sick, sugar may be a large part of the reason. Sugar also encourages candida albicans overgrowth, a fungus that starts in the digestive tract and can spread to the internal organs and the respiratory system. Common symptoms may include yeast infections, digestive problems, or asthma.
Sugar is far more fattening for most people than fat is. The worst type of sugar is fructose, often found as
high-fructose corn syrup which is now everywhere in processed foods, including soft drinks, baked goods and ketchup.
Kids are particularly
vulnerable - the foods they love are filled with the stuff, and as a result of
consuming these foods they are becoming obese and developing type 2 diabetes at an alarming rate.
I have even noticed high-fructose corn
syrup as an ingredient in those touted-as-healthy low-calorie frozen dinners!
Read labels carefully. Anything that ends in "ose" is a form of sugar,
such as glucose, sucrose, fructose, maltose, lactose, dextrose, galactose etc.
Also watch for "monosaccharides" or "disaccharides", which are also fancy names
for sugar.
Almost all sugar on the market is highly processed, and as such the nutrient-dense molasses of the sugar-cane
plant has been stripped away. The only sugar on the market that is a whole food is from Brazil, and is called Rapadura which literally means, "unseparated sugar". If you must use sugar, this is the only one that can be recommended.
"Sucanat", "turbinado", "raw sugar", "demerara", "muscovado", and
"evaporated cane juice", are all examples of separated sugar and should be
avoided. To wean yourself off sugar, you may find it helpful to take a
gram or two a day of omega 3 fish oils, to reduce the cravings.
Fallon, Sally and Enig, Mary; Nourishing Traditions, Revised 2nd Edition NewTrends Publishing Inc., Washington, D.C., 2001.
Kaufmann, Doug A.: The Fungus Link Media Trition Inc., Rockwall, Texas, 2000.
Mercola, Joseph, Dr.: Dr. Mercola's Total Health Program Mercola, Schaumberg, Illinois, 2005.
Chambers, Judy, RNCP: The Effects of Sugar. Online at www.dynamicbynature.com
Wood, Rebecca: Natural Sugar. Online at www.benourished.com
Yudkin, J. and Roddy J, Levels of Dietary Sucrose in patients with occlusive atherosclerotic disease The Lancet 1964, 2:6
Lopez, A. et al. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1966, 18:149-153.
Howell, Edward, MD Enzyme Nutrition 1985, Avery Publishing, Wayne, NJ, 88, 104.
Beasley, Joseph MD, and Swift, Jerry MA, The Kellogg Report, 1989, The Institute of Health Policy and Practice, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY, 129, 132
Fields, M, Proceedings of the Society of Experimental Biology and Medicine, 1984, 175:530-537.
Page, Melvin; Degeneration, Regeneration, 1949, Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation, San Diego, CA.
Wiley-Rosette, Judith et al: Carbohydrates and Increases in Obesity: Does the type of Carbohydrate make a difference? Obesity Research, 12, Supplement 2, 124S, 2004.
Bray, George et al. Consumption of high fructose corn syrup in beverages may play a role in the epidemic of obesity. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Vol. 79, no. 4, p. 537-543, April 2004.