I’d like to commend Rochelle Rothman
for highlighting the harms of eating too
much sugar.
While mentioning weight
gain, mood swings/irritability, fatigue/
low energy, cravings, high blood pressure,
acne/premature wrinkling, joint pain,
sleep troubles, digestive problems, brain
fog and gum disease and cavities, there
are several more health issues strongly
associated with sugar consumption.
1. 100 grams (3 oz.) reduces immune
response by 50% for up to six hours,
increasing the incidence of autoimmune
diseases and cancer. It promotes tumor
cell growth; cancer cells actually feed on
sugar!
2. Excess sugar is stored as fat, which
often gets deposited in the abdominal
area. That’s an indicator of insulin
resistance, which leads to elevated blood
sugar, high blood pressure, and increased
risk of diabetes and heart disease.
3. Also increased is the risk of
stroke, aneurysm, non-alcoholic fatty
liver disease, thyroid issues, and more,
including male hair loss.
4. Mental health patients consumed
200% more sugar than others, studies
show. When sugar was removed from
prison diets, there was a 90% reduction
in prisoner violence. Keep that in mind if
you’d like to see your kids fighting less (or
focusing better.
5. Sugar causes cellular aging, which
leads to shorter lifespans. DNA repair
is turned off, leading to inflammation,
which is at the root of all chronic disease
and aging.
6. Alzheimer’s is sometimes called
Type III diabetes; brain cells become
insulin resistant and are starved of energy.
Many such patients have seen remarkable
improvement and even reversal of their
conditions with a keto-type diet.
7. Excess sugar disrupts cells that keep
the colon and gut healthy, which is crucial
for the optimal health of body and mind
and disease prevention.
The new and much improved food
pyramid recommends no added sugar for
good reason. According to researchers,
sugar is a toxin; no studies have ever
shown any benefit whatsoever from
consuming it.
Artificial sweeteners are
not the answer; they come with their own
set of health risks, and in any case will not
help with weight loss.
What is very concerning is that sugar
is highly addictive, and we are giving
our children a lot of it – in school and
elsewhere. Sugary and highly processed
foods make up 80 to 90% of our kids’ (and
sometimes even our) diets, displacing
the nutrient rich whole foods needed for
optimal health. (What’s the likelihood
that they will be able to switch to a
healthier diet if and when they develop
health problems when they’ve become
addicted to sugary and processed foods?)
We parents and mechanchim (and well
meaning candymen) are putting them at
unnecessary risk of the chronic diseases
and mental health issues listed in Mrs.
Rothman’s article We can do
better.
