Sugar – White Death

Sucrose or white crystalline sugar is refined from its natural state as cane sugar or sugar beet by a chemical process stripping away all the vitamins, minerals, protein, fibre and water.  It is therefore an unbalanced purely carbohydrate food providing only the energy and ‘empty kilojoules’ without the other components.

Other sugars, such as fructose (in fruit and honey), lactose (milk) and maltose (grains) are natural foods with nutritional value.  Raw sugar and Molasses are not processed to the same extent as white sugar and contain vitamin B, iron, copper, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium.  Treacle and golden syrup are concentrated sugar solutions left over during processing of cane sugar and contain 25% water as well as calcium and iron.

The reason refined white sugar is so harmful is that it is stripped of all the B vitamins needed for metabolism of sugar in the body.  It therefore uses up all the B vitamins already present in the body which are needed for the functioning of skin, hair, muscles, nerves, eyes, blood and intestines.  Some of the side effects experienced from too much sugar in the diet include poor skin, lank hair, fatigue, and in extreme cases, mental disorders and nervous depression.  As the body seeks to replenish the nutrients leached from it by sugar, food cravings and eating binges can be experienced.  Sugar is an addictive substance and when abruptly cutting it out of the diet drug-like withdrawal symptoms such as fatigue, depression, moodiness and heachaches can occur.

Sugar also depletes the body of potassium and magnesium, which are required for the cardiac system and calcium, which is needed for healthy bones and teeth.  It is therefore a major contributor to heart disease and dental decay.  Most people consume far more sugar than their bodies can possibly utilise and convert into energy.  When this happens, the liver converts it into triglycerides and stores it as fat or produces cholesterol and deposits it in the veins and arteries.  Sugar is a major factor in diseases such as arteriosclerosis and obesity.

Studies have shown that excessive use of sugar in the diet has caused behavioural problems and learning disabilities in children.  In 1991, Singapore banned sugary soft drinks from being sold at schools and youth centres because of the danger to the mental and physical health of children.

To help to lose a sweet tooth, replace sweets with fresh or dried fruits and use alternative sweeteners such as honey or raw unrefined sugar in moderation.  Honey is a natural sweetener containing Vitamin C and B and minerals determined by the soils in which flowers grow.  The sugars in honey are pre-digested by the bees and, together with the vitamins and minerals, make the honey easily absorbed into the body.

Synthetic artificial sweeteners should not be used to replace sugar as this does not help re-educate the sweet tooth and they are synthetic substances that are toxic to the body.

This Video tells you about how Sugar contributes to Cholesterol

Read How cutting out refined sugar changed one woman's life

Should sugar be regulated like a drug?

The Truth About Sugar-Free - Is It Good For You?