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Eating too much sugar can eat away at your brainpower, according to US scientists.
London - Sugar is a poison and its sale should be as tightly regulated as cigarettes and alcohol, scientists say.
They warn that sugary foods and drinks are responsible for illnesses including obesity, heart disease, cancer and liver problems.
And they claim it contributes to 35 million deaths a year worldwide and is so dangerous it should be controlled through taxation and legislation.
The article The Toxic Truth About Sugar, published in the journal Nature, adds: “A little is not a problem but a lot kills - slowly.”
The US authors warn obesity is now a bigger problem than malnourishment across the world, and that sugar not only makes people fat but also changes the body’s metabolism, raises blood pressure, throws hormones off balance and harms the liver.Ê
The damage done mirrors the effects of drinking too much alcohol - which the scientists point out is made from distilling sugar.
The authors, led by Robert Lustig, a childhood obesity expert at California University, say that, like alcohol, sugar is widely available, toxic, easily abused and harmful to society.
They say teaching children about diet and exercise is unlikely to be effective and instead the answer lies in taxes and restricting availability.
The study recommends using taxation to double the price of fizzy drinks, restricting their sale to those over 17 or 18, and tightening regulations covering school vending machines and snack bars.
Dr Laura Schmidt, also of California University, said: “We’re not talking about prohibition. We’re not advocating a major imposition of the government into people’s lives.
“What we want is actually to increase people’s choices by making foods that aren’t loaded with sugar comparatively easier and cheaper to get.”
The article also reveals that consumption of sugar has tripled in the past 50 years and that there are now more obese people than malnourished ones across the world.
It concludes that responsibility lies with the food companies, saying that while they may resist change, shifts in policy are possible if the pressure is great enough. Examples include the ban on smoking in public places and the fitting of airbags in cars.
The article ends: “These simple measures are taken for granted as tools for our public health and well-being. It’s time to turn our attention to sugar.”
However, other scientists have described the essay as “puritanical”, saying sugar is only toxic when eaten in unrealistic amounts.
Barbara Gallani, of the Food and Drink Federation, which represents the UK food and drink industry, said that while urgent action was needed to beat heart and other diseases, it was wrong to focus on sugar alone.
She added: “The causes of these diseases are multi-factorial and demonising food components does not help consumers to build a realistic approach to their diet.
“The key to good health is a balanced and varied diet in a lifestyle that includes plenty of physical activity.” - Daily Mail
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Anonymous, wrote
Everything seems to bad for us these days. Maybe air & water one of these days! I bet you if there was study into air & water this will also be bad for us. Just remember regardless of all our progress in the field of medical science the human mortality rate is still a 100% and probably will stay so for the foreseeable future. So enjoy life!
Deebee, wrote
It isn't sugar that's killing people slowly - it's stupidity and sloth. Basic common sense tells you that it's called junk food for a reason and there's so much information out there on hte ill effects of eating highly processed foods and drinks, it's simply up to each person to ensure they take responsibility for their own health.
Anonymous, wrote
Sugar's bad, but the high fructose corn syrup and corn starch (added to MANY processed foods) are just as bad in excess. Say NO to simple carbs of all varieties. Primalpaleo is the way to head (but all things in moderation, including moderation...)
Anonymous, wrote
@Jerome....Yeah sure why don't we tax red meat, processed foods, non-organic food, Hell why don't we just triple tax everything that is remotely unhealthy <---- Bollox, its called self control and discipline, for the rest leave it up to the survival of the fittest, or in this case the smartest.
Anonymous, wrote
Jan, wrote
Old news, it has been shown that suger increases the Candida fungi in your body. This,and it is old news, leads to cancer of the Vigina and prostrate. One of the treatments, also old news, is to go on a six weeks suger and starch free dieet if your PSA is high. This reduces the Candida and the PSA decreases. Was there, did it and got the t-shirt
sho, wrote
Jason, wrote
Snore! What a load of short sighted hippie rubbish. Hasn't thought this through at all. Sugar doesn't affect everyone the same. People must take responsibility for themselves.
Anonymous, wrote
I suspect that if one does a little research into who sponsored the study, we might find that the sponsors are the manufacturers of alternative sweeteners. One should especially be aware of articles originating in the UK, published in journals, and often sensationalised by the notorious tabloid papers. I have more than once been amused by articles for example condemning butter, after studies commissioned by the margarine people, and vice-versa.
Pauline, wrote
Fructose will raise your insulin to chronically high levels over time. It also metabolizes differently from other sugars. Both of these facts significantly contribute to the creation of chronic diseases. And where to we get fructose from? Fruit and fruit juices. Not mentioned in this article at all... Most people think fruit = health...
SA HALSTEAD, wrote
zale, wrote
so is the processed meats we buy and the fruits and veg sprayed with chemicals all food should be organic
Nick, wrote
Sugar will make you ill if you eat too much of it. Having 2 sugars in a cup of coffee at least 3 times a day wont do much.... Its the fizzy drinks and sweets that bugger you up!!! My son was hooked on sweets..... we decided enough is enough and stopped giving him sweets. He went through withdrawal like an addict for a week..... but then he started eating veggied and stuff again, he looks much healthier now and is also not so hyper anymore!!!! I personally believe thatstuff like add is caused by too much refined foods and sugars.
Jerome, wrote
I say the price of cigarettes should be tripled. The price of alcohol should be doubled. These are bad habits and people should focus more on their health. Sweets should also be tripled in price. It will lead to a healthier society. People should go back to eating only vegetables and good natural foods. No more meat eating as it is cruel to animals.
John, wrote
Anonymous, wrote
thank goodness there is something that can be taxed now maybe they will let up on the smokers for a change what next
jandr0, wrote
@Anonymous 09:41pm: "I eat about 2-3 packets of sweets a week - more than anyone else I know. I weight 68kg, have cholesterol 4 and blood pressure 7090. So bollocks to this article." What a dufus you are. Ever heard of arithmetic means, statistical deviation, statistical variance, internal validity, external validity, outliers? Your world is so simply small, isn't it?
correspondent, wrote
german, wrote
Every year some group of scientists come up with something to kill you.............first coffe was bad for .............5yrs later coffee was good for and tea was bad....... what the scientists can`t figure out is, is that if you actually eat too much of a certain food ,it can actually make you ill. so to the scientists out their ,stop waisting money on doing studies on things that we already know can make you ill............try saving the world from the ones f#$@##$ it up
Anonymous, wrote
This is then good time to enter Rebeauside, a natural no-calorie sweetener, extracted from the Stevia plant. Unfortunately not yet properly regulated by SA Health Authorities!.....
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