Sugar "TOXIC"?

[Rugburn]

Did any of you happen to watch 60 Minutes on Sunday night. Now they are calling sugar toxic to human beings! I surely hope this was their version of an April FOOLS joke! Anyone care to comment?

[PerryW]

Did any of you happen to watch 60 Minutes on Sunday night. Now they are calling sugar toxic to human beings! I surely hope this was their version of an April FOOLS joke! Anyone care to comment?

Yeah, it's all the rage of the crunchies to bash sugar. Some loser over in Vermont wants to put a tax on all drinks with added sugar because of all the fat kids waddling around today.

[ctjim]

Yeah, it's all the rage of the crunchies to bash sugar. Some loser over in Vermont wants to put a tax on all drinks with added sugar because of all the fat kids waddling around today.

i think they're trying that everywhere around the country. now i'm not that old and we had video game systems while i was growing up in the 80's. if the kids these days would drop the cell phone,computers and games and went outside and played or found something constructive to do this wouldn't be an issue.

[happy thoughts]

I didn't see 60 Minutes but I've read some on the subject here and there. I wouldn't be so quick to discredit the idea that the over-consumption of sugar can have more harmful affects than just weight gain and cavities. I'll assume it was over-consumption that was the gist of the TV piece.

From what I've read, sugar consumption has exploded in the US since the 1970-80's. Per capita sugar consumption in the US is something like 70-90 lbs/year. By anyone's count, that's a lot of sugar. In recent years there have been dramatic increases in obesity and diabetes, heart disease and cancer. We are now seeing many young children with adult onset diabetes which was almost unheard of in the past. What is being looked at as a cause is something called metabolic syndrome where high intake of sugar causes high insulin levels, conversion of sugar to fat by the liver and insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is also thought to be responsible for some cancers. The evidence of health effects from metabolic syndrome are there in animal studies and it at least deserves more investigation imho. Obesity, diabetes and heart disease account for a lot of our healthcare dollars. If lowering sugar consumption would benefit health then I would not be opposed to a soda tax.

That said, like everything, sugar may best be enjoyed in moderation. It is not necessarily that sugar by itself is toxic but that consuming large amounts is what's responsible for many of the adverse health conditions we're seeing increase. Though I agree that everyone, including kids, should lead more active lives, increasing activity alone may not be enough.

[GeneralStark]

They are talking primarily about simple sugars such as high fructose corn syrup that are easily broken down by the body and cause major blood sugar spikes. Complex sugars like maple sugar are good.

Not all "sugar" is the same thing chemically.

[RollinsOrchards]

There is always a 100 percent mortality rate caused by living - actual straw that breaks the camel's back may vary.


Most people do not realize just how easily digestible this processed food is. Eat more raw vegetables that your stomach can't absorb any nutrients from, and you will be healthier. . .

[Greenwich Maple Man]

i think they're trying that everywhere around the country. now i'm not that old and we had video game systems while i was growing up in the 80's. if the kids these days would drop the cell phone,computers and games and went outside and played or found something constructive to do this wouldn't be an issue.

I have to comment here. Last Sun. we went to a couples house for Sunday dinner. When we got there they wanted to show us ther WI System (they are both in there fortys). They then proceeded to play a skiing game and a ball game were they swung from side to side and try to hit the oncoming ball with there head. Talk about looking retarded ! Then they tried to tell me how much excercise this was. I get more excercise tapping one tree!!!!!!! I was shocked after I saw this at how a grown adult would play this garbage and then have the nerve to call it excercise. Truly pathetic,atleatst in my mind. By the way I refused to even play the moron games. Then they wonder what is wrong with most kids???????????????? They need to go do some real work !