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By Larry Cook
Refined sugar: so seductive, so sweet-and so insidious, whether it's found in candy, soda or baked products or liberally laced in more conventional foods. It has been called a poison; it's been blamed for addiction. Heavily processed, it lacks nutritional value-its digestion in the body saps minerals. And it's linked to health problems that go well beyond obesity. My advice: Avoid it. And try some of the healthier options for sweetening your food and beverages (see below).
The Addiction Risk
Many holistic healers and other natural-living advocates insist
that refined sugar is addictive (1); it's a view that the mainstream
scientific community considered this summer when Princeton University
researchers induced lab rats to binge on large amounts of sugar
and then abruptly excluded it from the animals' diets. The rats
experienced withdrawal-like symptoms: their teeth chattered, they
became anxious and the usual state of neurochemicals in the parts
of their brains' pertaining to motive was turned upside-down.(2)
Sweet Poison?
Natural-health advocates who allege sugar functions as a poison
are largely following in the footsteps of William Coda Martin,
a doctor who, in a 1957 article published in the Michigan Organic
News, expressed early support for this view. Medically, he wrote,
poison denoted "[a]ny substance applied to the body, ingested
or developed within the body, which causes or may cause disease."
Physically, poison was defined as "[a]ny substance which
inhibits the activity of a catalysts which is a minor substance,
chemical or enzyme that activates a reaction."(3) Sugar,
after undergoing a refining process, is transformed into "pure,
refined carbohydrates," Martin wrote. "The body cannot
utilize this refined starch and carbohydrate unless the depleted
proteins, vitamins and minerals are present. Nature supplies these
elements in each plant in quantities sufficient to metabolize
the carbohydrate in that particular plant. There is no excess
for other added carbohydrates. Incomplete carbohydrate metabolism
results in the formation of 'toxic metabolite' such as pyruvic
acid and abnormal sugars containing five carbon atoms. Pyruvic
acid accumulates in the brain and nervous system and the abnormal
sugars in the red blood cells. These toxic metabolites interfere
with the respiration of the cells. They cannot get sufficient
oxygen to survive and function normally. In time, some of the
cells die. This interferes with the function of a part of the
body and is the beginning of degenerative disease."(3)
B Vitamin Depletion
So, when you eat refined sugar (raw, in candy or in other
foods such as breakfast cereals and pastries), you're ingesting
a substance that not only lacks nutritional value but also robs
your body of minerals (such as chromium, manganese, cobalt, copper,
zinc and magnesium), enzymes and vitamins (especially the B vitamins).
B vitamins are required to metabolize sugar. Constant sugar consumption
can lead to a vitamin B deficiency, which translates into poor
metabolism, low energy and mental/nervous disorders. Many B vitamins
(responsible for proper nerve and brain function) are manufactured
by symbiotic bacteria living in our intestines. Too much refined
sugar kills these friendly bacteria, resulting in an even greater
B vitamin deficiency, which can cause sleepiness, mental fatigue
and host of other symptoms. Furthermore, a significant drop of
friendly bacteria in the gut allows entry of unfriendly bacteria,
which cause a host of other problems.
Daily intake of refined sugar forms an acid condition that quickly
consumes the body's minerals-especially calcium to alkalinize
the system-causing a general weakening of the body. The parasympathetic
nervous system, which governs our digestive system, is adversely
affected, and so the digestive system is weakened and food cannot
be digested or assimilated properly. This leads to a blood-sugar
imbalance and an intensified craving for sugar.
Refined sugar passes quickly into the bloodstream in large amounts,
giving the pancreas and stomach a shock. The pancreas goes into
overdrive to make enough insulin (a hormone that carries sugar
to the cells to be metabolized or stored) to normalize the blood
sugar by taking excess sugar out of the bloodstream and turning
it into glycogen for energy or moving it into fat storage. This
can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar, which then signals the
adrenal glands to release high levels of cortisol (the fight or
flight hormone), which puts the body in high-stress mode. The
result is a quick burst of energy that lasts about two hours,
followed by an equally fast drop in energy.
The Hypoglycemia & Diabetes Connection
Hypoglycemia and adult-onset diabetes are directly linked
to sugar consumption-there are estimates that 98 percent of all
adult-onset diabetes is diet-induced. Hypoglycemia occurs when
refined sugars, as well as other refined foods such as white flour,
are consumed on a regular basis. Hypoglycemia is low blood sugar
due to an over-reactive pancreas that sends out too much insulin
to compensate for the excess processed sugar. Symptoms of hypoglycemia
include fatigue, lack of concentration, anxiety, mood swings and
irritability.
Adult-onset diabetes usually follows hypoglycemia when insulin receptors in the cells no longer respond to the insulin being produced by the pancreas, causing high blood sugar; and/or insulin production has dropped or stopped. These degenerative diseases are virtually always diet related and completely avoidable (and reversible!).
Immune System is Suppressed
Refined sugar also slowly destroys the immune system by undermining
the germ-killing ability of white blood cells for up to five hours
after ingestion; reducing the production of antibodies; interfering
with the transport of vitamin C (an important immune builder);
causing severe mineral imbalances; and neutralizing the action
of essential fatty acids. Since regular consumption of refined
sugar (whether raw, in candy or in processed foods) slowly but
surely destroys the immune system, virtually every known ailment
and degenerative disease can be and is caused by refined sugar
(along with multiple other factors, which cannot be ignored).
Joseph Mercola, DO, with Nancy Applegate, author of Lick the
Sugar Habit, has compiled extraordinary list of 78 reasons
to avoid sugar, gleaned from an array of scientific and medical
literature. The list, with its carefully cited claims, is damning;
it indicts sugar for a host of modern ailments: Varicose veins.
Depression. An increased risk of Alzheimer's disease. Asthma.
Arthritis. Cataracts. And so on, including the two health risks
you already knew went hand in hand with sugar--tooth decay and
excessive weight gain. For the complete list with citations, see
http://www.mercola.com/article/sugar/dangers_of_sugar.htm.
The Art of Avoidance
Avoiding refined sugar can be tricky because it's in a plethora
of foods and drinks. (The average American consumes 150 pounds
of refined sweeteners each year (ii). You have to know the language
of ingredients labels, because refined sugar goes by many names,
depending on its source. Refined sugar, or sucrose is made from
sugar cane or beet, as well as other sugar derivatives such as
dextrose (from corn), fructose (from fruit) and maltose (from
malt).
I'd like to stress that using artificial sweeteners, or buying products that contain them, is not the way to go. Many have been associated with a cornucopia of health problems-so why risk ingesting artificial sweeteners, especially when, as you'll see below, you have plenty of other options? When assessing the hazards of artificial sweeteners, consider aspartame, commonly sold under the trade names NutraSweet and Equal, which was approved by the FDA in the early 1980s amid controversy. Since its approval, some health organizations-even those that vouch for aspartame's safety-have acknowledged an extraordinary number of public complaints, recorded but largely dismissed by the FDA, about aspartame's alleged side effects.
Even aspartame advocates acknowledge that it should be avoided by those individuals with a rare genetic disorder called phenylketonuria, or PKU. But many naturopathic and holistic care providers, as well as some allopathic medical practitioners, have expressed broader concern about the impact of aspartame, particularly in instances of long-term use. H.J. Roberts, MD, joined the anti-aspartame crusade when he found what appeared to be troubling side-effects among his patients who consumed aspartame products-effects that dissipated after discontinued use. In a lecture presented at a meeting of the American Academy of Environmental Medicine, Roberts suggested that aspartame may compromise ocular, neurological and metabolic health, in addition to precipitating other serious ailments such as Alzheimer's Disease. (http://www.nutrition4health.org/NOHAnews/NNW93Aspartame.htm)
The Center for Science in the Public Interest has expressed concern about the use of aspartame, observing that "several scientists believe that aspartame might cause altered brain function and behavior changes in consumers. And many people (though a minuscule fraction) have reported dizziness, headaches, epileptic-like seizures, and menstrual problems after ingesting aspartame. Avoid aspartame if you are pregnant, suffer from PKU, or think that you experience side affects from using it. If you consume more than a couple of servings a day consider cutting back. And, to be on the safe side, don't give aspartame to infants" (http://www.cspinet.org/reports/food.htm).
Healthy Alternatives
There are several sweetener alternatives that are much healthier
than refined sugar. Pure maple syrup contains minerals and vitamins,
as does black strap molasses, rice syrup and barely malt. All
of these sweeteners can be found at the natural food stores. When
you do have a "sweet tooth" and want to buy a prepackaged
product, go to a natural food store and look for products that
contain one of the above natural sweeteners, instead of refined
sugars, or anything ending in "ose." At a natural food
store, you can even find soda pop with less sugar (or "better"
sweeteners as listed above) than their conventional counterparts.
When eating foods with alternative sweeteners, a good rule of
thumb to follow is this: If it tastes sweet, there's too much
sugar in it (refined or not).
Stevia
Another alternative sweetener that contains no calories, improves
digestion and is considered about 300 times sweeter than sugar
is the all-natural herb stevia. Unfortunately, the FDA has outlawed
the ability of manufacturers of stevia products to label their
products as an alternative sweetener, and so stevia is marketed
as a supplement. Although a completely safe herb used for thousands
of years, the FDA, citing a clack of conclusive studies on stevia's
safety, banned the herbs sale in the United States in the early
1990s, until the natural food industry got it approved as a supplement.
Companies are eager to use stevia as a natural sweetener but can't
afford the the price and hassle of ignoring the FDA`s stance.
By 2001, stevia sales reached $10 million in the United States;
however, no company that markets the herb has equaled the financial
might of G.D. Searle, the pharmaceutical firm that pushed for
FDA approval of aspartame (and was later bought by Monsanto Company,
which in 2000 sold its sweetener business to J.W. Childs Associates,
LP for $440 million-in cash).
In the late 1990s, Stevita, a Texas-based company that has produced
and sold stevia for 15 years, was targeted by the FDA for allegedly
marketing its products as sweeteners. FDA agents entered the company's
warehouses, looking for "labeling violations," books
and other material representing stevia as a conventional food
product. After sifting through the minutia of various printed
materials, the agency determined the company had violated the
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1997. Stevita's president
and vice presidents have said that the FDA ordered the destruction
of stevia-related publications, a claim that the FDA denies. But
the agency does not deny expending substantial effort and time
(and, consequently, money) to carry out detailed inspections of
Stevita's and other companies' warehouses, in addition to retail
establishments-a shining example of your tax dollars at work.
Stevia is a threat to both the sugar industry and to the artificial
sweetener industry, so it's no wonder that the FDA has done all
it can to stop the sale of this remarkable herbal sweetener. But
now you know, so next time you want to add some noncaloric sweetener
to your baked goods or drink, try some stevia. Check out cookingwithstevia.com
for more stevia facts and recipes, as well as a stevia-to-sugar
conversion chart (unlike aspartame, which loses its sweetness
at high temperatures, stevia can be used in cooking).
SOURCES used in this version of the article
II: "Get the Sugar Out," by Ann Louise Gittleman, page xiii
1. http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/living/special/sugar/21sugaraddict.html
2. http://www.princeton.edu/pr/news/02/q2/0620-hoebel.htm
3. Martin, William Coda. Michigan Organic News. March 1957, p.3
http://www.cookingwithstevia.com
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/nycu/health/articles/010806/health/sweet.htm
http://www.monsanto.com/monsanto/layout/media/00/03-27-00.asp
http://www.nutrition4health.org/NOHAnews/NNW93Aspartame.htm
http://www.cspinet.org/reports/food.htm
http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/dailys/041699/m000001.pdf