Is Sugar Public Enemy Number One?

There has been so much negative publicity about sugar and a mass exodus away from all forms of carbohydrates that I am reminded of the days, not all that long ago, when fat was considered evil and fat free everything started appearing on grocery shelves. The latest hype is that fat isn't the enemy, it's the sugar we should be avoiding, and you can find sugar and carb free products everywhere you turn. So what’s the real deal? Should we get rid of all of the sugar in our diets?

Recently Dr. Sanjay Gupta featured Dr. Robert Lustig, a nationally recognized authority in the field of neuroendocrinology, on his show to discuss the doctor’s findings on his research concerning sugar in our diets. I took away two important points from the segment; first is that each person has their own individual threshold for sugar consumption and second, that sugar has the propensity to become toxic.

Having a unique threshold does make sense. This might be why people you’d label sugar-holics can be fit and trim and others who monitor and restrict every gram of sugar they ingest are not. Dr. Lustig used elite athletes as an example of those who can drink sugary sports drinks and eat foods high in sugar yet their blood chemistry isn’t negatively affected. In fact, these folks actually need it to replenish glycogen that they’ve lost during their activity.  The trouble begins when the majority of the population - who are not athletes or do not participate in rigorous exercise regularly - start consuming the stuff and then do so to excess.  The liver then becomes overloaded and cannot process the sugar and it is converted to fat. Dr. Lustig is lobbying for the FDA to institute guidelines for sugar consumption to raise general awareness.

The most disturbing assertion that Dr. Lustig made was that sugar consumed at certain levels could become toxic. He gave examples of three different types of toxins. The most severe, which can lead to death within minutes, are chemicals such as cyanide and serin gas. The second set consists of poisons like arsenic, which when ingested in large quantities, can lead to death. The third group contains items that are innocuous or even helpful in the correct dosage, such as vitamin A, but when taken in large doses over a long period of time can also be fatal. This third category is where he places sugar. I guess it was no coincidence that this episode of Dr. Sanjay aired soon after the story broke of the 30 year old New Zealander Natasha Harris’ death due to her supposed “coke” habit…Coca Cola that is. Her relatives confessed that her typical daily consumption consisted of two gallons or more per day of the stuff! A heart attack was cited as the official cause of her death however a postmortem blood analysis indicated that she had very low levels of potassium in her blood, which is a result of overall poor nutrition.

So what do you do? It’s really up to you. Sure, you can go sugar free and remove every sweet, bread, pasta, alcoholic beverage - and processed foods may be the number one offender - from your diet, but I know this may be easier said then done. Start by limiting your intake and participating in some demanding exercise. A client of mine jokes that the reason she works so hard during our sessions is so she can eat what she wants. The thing is, that’s not a joke - it’s reality. Nothing in life is free, sugar included, and if you want it, you have to earn it. Whether it’s in the gym, on the court, at the field, or on the dance floor. Work for your sugar!