Originally published April 14 2012
Americans are killing themselves with sugar
by PF Louis
(NaturalNews) Sugar and high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) are not just in soft drinks, pastries, and candies. They are hidden in most processed foods, condiments and sauces. Sometimes the sweetening ingredients in those foods and condiments are disguised as dextrose or corn syrup (which is most likely genetically modified) instead of sugar or HFCS.
So sugar is ubiquitous in the standard American diet (SAD). The food like substances from convenience stores, fast food stops, and even upscale restaurants are usually loaded with either sugar or HFCS.
High fructose corn syrup has become the sweetener of choice because it's cheaper and sweeter than sugar. Many say it's worse for you as well. Much of HFCS goes directly to the liver before it is metabolized anywhere else. What isn't used for energy from HFCS is stored as fat. Excess sugar also gets stored as fat.
Even some infant formulas contain sugar or HFCS amounts equivalent to a can of soda. They're getting hooked on sugar early. Sugar and HFCS tend to be addictive.
Since sugar became a household commodity in the 18th Century, sugar consumption has increased from four pounds per person annually to 180 pounds annually for half the American population. HFCS use has increased over ten thousand percent since its introduction into processed foods and beverages in the 1970s.
Health issues with sugar and HFCS
Obesity is obvious. Obesity levels are higher now than ever before. One-third of Americans are obese and another third are overweight. Eating a low fat diet only hurts your health. Our bodies need natural, good fats (http://www.naturalnews.com/035069_low_fat_diet_myths_weight_loss.html).
Obesity and overweight conditions usually lead to pre-diabetes and diabetes type 2, which can also cause kidney disease. If dietary habits remain the same, high blood pressure and artherosclerosis (clogged and hardened arteries) can occur, leading to heart attacks and strokes.
Coinciding with increased HFCS use is a sharp rise in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which is a precursor to sclerosis of the liver.
Many tend to make a couple of bad mistakes upon realizing they need to cut down or completely eliminate sugar and high fructose corn syrup from their diet. The first is to use artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and Splenda (sucralose). That's just trading physical problems for neurological issues, while still getting fatter in the meantime (http://www.naturalnews.com/022785.html).
However, you can use naturally plant based Stevia as a healthy sugar replacement.
Another mistake is to cut out obvious sweets and sodas while continuing to frequent fast food places and eat processed food meals at home. The gradual transition from the standard American diet should be toward cutting out processed and fast food meals completely, since most are laced with sugar or HFCS.
Studies are beginning to determine that consuming lots of sugar or HFCS leads to cancer. Anaerobic cancer cells do thrive on sugar. They depend on fermenting glucose (sugar) for their energy because they've lost the ability to metabolize with oxygen (http://www.naturalnews.com/024827_cancer_sugar_women.html).
That's why alternative cancer treatments strictly forbid sugar consumption. Of course, mainstream oncology does not even discourage sugar. It's widely understood that we all contain some free floating cancer cells that have not developed into tumors.
Natural fructose in fruit is okay. But high added sugar/HFCS consumption will only encourage cancer cells and cause the other health issues mentioned in this article.
Sources for this article include:
http://www.foxnews.com
http://nutritiondiva.quickanddirtytips.com
http://healthmaven.blogspot.com/2012/04/sugar-is-toxic.html -
VIDEO CBS 60 Minutes Report
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