Recently, both DeGeneres and Jeff Garlin spoke out against sugar and declared that they were off the sweet substance, as I recently wrote about in this opinion piece for AOL News.
Sugar and its dangers are in the news again, thanks to ABC's popular show, Nightline, which, last week, aired a compelling story spotlighting sugar's role in the obesity crisis.
In his "Sugar Wars" piece, correspondent John Donovan offers a fascinating look at the views of esteemed pediatric endocrinologist Dr. Robert Lustig, whose YouTube video -- entitled "Sugar: The Bitter Truth" -- has garnered more than a quarter of a million hits to date and clearly brought Dr. Lustig into the limelight.
In this Nightline segment -- which you can watch below -- Donovan calls Dr. Lustig "a man at war with sugar," because he argues that too much fructose and not enough fiber are to blame for our obesity crisis and metabolic syndrome.
"Fructose is the cause of the current epidemic," insists Dr. Lustig, director of UCSF's Weight Assessment for Teen and Child Health (WATCH) Clinic and UCSF Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology.
Nightline correspondent Donovan also includes quotes from the pediatric endocrinologist about how fructose confuses people's brains into thinking they're hungry and how low-fat foods such as SnackWells cookies and fruit-flavored yogurt are filled with sugar. Dr. Lustig even posits the controversial idea that teens should be carded when buying soda.
In the Nightline "Sugar Wars" piece, Donovan strives to be unbiased by allowing three pro-sugar advocates to refute Dr. Lustig's ideas -- one critic from the American Beverage Association (formerly called the National Soft Drink Association) and two from the Corn Refiners Association, including a cardiologist, who has done studies funded by PepsiCo, the manufacturer of sugar-filled soft drinks.
Understandably, correspondent John Donovan seems to be like millions of Americans, who have a sweet tooth. In fact, the reporter readily admits that strolling with Dr. Lustig at San Francisco's Pier 30 (a hot spot filled with sugary foods such as waffle cones) can be "at times, well, a bit of of a downer. Because," Donovan remarks, "we love sugar, don't we, most of us?"
Donovan is absolutely correct in his assessment. Most Americans -- and people around the world -- are so keen on sugar that they imbibe it to their detriment. Unfortunately, the Nightline reporter did not mention that obesity is only part of the sugar story.
The average American's sugar consumption -- about 170 pounds per year per person -- not only has been linked with obesity, but it has been connected to heart disease, cancer, severe PMS, memory loss, depression, fatigue, headaches, infertility, low libido, polycystic ovary syndrome and more than 100 other ailments.
What's more, regretfully, the Nightline piece did not point out that Dr. Lustig is in good company. His anti-sugar views are shared by many of us concerned health advocates. For instance, esteemed pediatric endocrinologist Dr. David Ludwig -- who was previously interviewed along with me for a "CBS News Sunday Morning" segment, "Is America Too Sweet on Sugar" -- is among those frightened by the massive consumption of sugar, particularly high fructose corn syrup, in this country and around the world.
Others sounding the sugar alarm include:
Now, I invite you to watch the eye-opening Nightline segment below.
I also encourage you to watch Dr. Lustig's YouTube video, in which he argues that the current obesity epidemic is due to the marked increase in people's consumption of fructose over the last 30 years. He also points out that fructose is toxic in large quantities, because it is metabolized in the liver in the same way as alcohol, which drives fat storage and makes the brain think it is hungry.
Finally, I invite you to watch this 3 Minute Ad Age segment, in which I reveal that if you're eating processed foods, it's virtually impossible to take in high fructose corn syrup in moderation, as the Corn Refiners Association ads assert.
You're also invited to learn about my new 5-week, Break Free With Connie teleseminar program, which begins April 20. In honor of my 12th year kick-sugar anniversary, early-bird rates are now in effect.
Follow Connie Bennett on Twitter: www.twitter.com/SmartHabitsGirl
Meg Wolff: 7 Tips to Kick the Sugar Habit (PHOTOS)
DIET SODA IS POISON TOO!
And labeling sugar as the culprit when the high fructose corn syrup is so much different and more dangerous, is somewhat misleading.
People have no clue and actually thing that the RDA values set by the FDA is something they should follow.....yeah, right to the grave.
FDA "recommendations" are written BY the sugar industry. I know very few people who can process 330 grams of sugar a day.
THREE HUNDRED THIRTY GRAMS per day!!!
I believe it is important to be precise regarding the genuine enemy here: Archer Daniels Midland
I remember my Granny, in her 80's at the time told me that with all the things that are bad for you that she sould have died a long time ago. As it was, she lived to be 96 eating things like red meat, bacon, salt, sugar, etc.
No one can legislate good eating habits. We each take our own chanced.
Sugar, salt, and fat, especially all 3 combined, stimulate the pleasure centers in the brain. It sure feels good, doesn't it?
http://mamasoncall.com
About four years ago I happened across the Indian health system called Ayurveda which completely transformed the way I thought, approached and consumed food. I am now as close to "sugar free" as you can get and make a concerted effort to cook all my (and my families and loved ones) meals using fresh, wholesome food.
Not only did I shed approximately 5 kgs (10 lbs) in the very first week, but my energy levels soared and my skin conditions and asthma completed cleared up - forever wising me to how important the food we eat really is for our health and well being.
Many thanks for a great article. I hope people take note and make some radical changes to their lifestyles.
Peace and much love
Lara
http://ultimatelifestyleproject.com/dealing-with-difficult-people
Oh, and lifting the ban on Cuban sugar imports might help as well.
I had no idea all of those conditions were connected to sugar! I was just at a fundraiser for a nonprofit, and had more than my usual sugar intake. Looks like my diet needs to change...
A very, very important message. One that I have been talking about for years. Fabulous to see it all backed up by the biochemistry.
If you want further analyses of the lack of nutrition science due to bias, check out Gary Taubes' book, "Good Calories, Bad Calories." It really opened my eyes.
Cheers,
Theo
'Agave syrup (nectar) is basically high-fructose corn syrup masquerading as a health food.'
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-jonny-bowden/debunking-the-blue-agave_b_450144.html
I have been sugar free for years.
I never buy sugar but fall off the sugar wagon. For example, I just finished some yogurt with added sugar. Usually I buy plain yogurt, add the minutest drip of honey and vanilla and/or almond to remove the sharp edge.
I was shocked. I've switched to Skippy which at least lists sugar as a secondary ingredient but clearly I need to pay attention to what I'm eating.
Another huge problem with most commercial peanut butters used to be the trans fats. Have they got rid of those?
My Dad (an imminently practical man) came up with the idea shortly after be bought his first jar of natural peanut butter.
I've given up soda about 2 years ago and am still trying to get the spare tire it's created off of me.
I had bookmarked the youtube video Sugar: The Bitter Truth for watching at a later date and had forgotten about it. Thank you for getting the word out again and jarring my memory.
I'll check out your book too. One thing I wonder if any of the mentioned articles/videos or seminars cover is the raising of children relatively sugar free. It's hard to be 100% sugar free. We raise our daughter with little sugary foods and on those occasions when she does get it (Halloween, Valentines, Birthday), she seems to want to over indulge which makes us worried for the time when she's off to college.
Giving it up again this week. Pray for me. Might want to pray for anyone who has to deal with me as well!
The morning line around takeout stands with sugary confections or bagels is always much larger than around the fresh produce takeout stands.
Other people eat processed cereals (one of the unhealthiest foods) which have any goodness processed right out of them and quickly turn into sugar in our bodies. The food companies attach all kinds of misleading ads to them, promising weight loss, daily vitamin intakes and life changing weight loss etc.