The Dangers of Sugar
How Sugar Affects The Body

History of Sugar

There is no other crop that occupies as much of the world's land and yet provides no benefit to humanity, as sugar. Sugarcane is the third most valuable crop and it is causing a global public health crisis, centuries in the making. The obesity epidemic has spread across every nation where sugar-based carbohydrates dominate their economy, and in turn the rates of cancer, dementia, heart disease and diabetes have soared.

It is believed that can sugar was discovered before the birth of Christ in 500 B.C.. India claimed to have found a 'reed that gives honey without bees," and this would later be known as sugarcane. Sugar was considered a rare spice, not an everyday condiment since it was expensive to produce and taxed at a higher rate. Only the affluent could afford it and refined sugar became a symbol of status. Interestingly, this affluent cross section of the population also had a disproportionate rate of illness and disease, compared to the lower classes that had no access to sugar. People that had access to refined sugar were called "refined."

The Arabs learned how to process sugarcane from the Indians, then brought the sugar with them as they conquered Europe. Europe continued to use primarily honey until the crusades. Christopher Columbus brought sugarcane to the Americas.

When sugarcane was introduced to the Caribbean (just before 1647), it led to the growth of the industry. The 1950s is when a form of sugar syrup from cornstarch was discovered (now known as high fructose corn syrup) and it gradually replaced sugar (sucrose) in the United States.

Over the last 200 years refined sugars have replaced natural sugars in our diets. Instead of fruit we eat corn syrup. Refining sugars eliminate all the vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats, enzymes and every nutrient inherent to the sugar cane plant. During the refining process all 64 food elements are destroyed including potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, phosphate, manganese and sulfate natural to sugar cane are removed as are the A, D, B vitamins, amino acids, vital enzymes, unsaturated fats and fiber.

In the last 20 years sugar consumption has increased in the United States from 26 pounds a year to 135 lbs. Prior to the turn of the century the average consumption was only 5 lbs per year and cardiovascular disease and cancer was virtually unseen in the early 1900s.

Types of Sugar

All forms of processed sugar are bad for the human body. Taken regularly the cell receptors become less receptive to insulin and inflammation, acidosis and tissue degeneration occurs in the pancreas, adrenals, liver and other hormonal glands.

Naturally occurring sugars in nature from fruits, vegetables and greens are healthy for the body whereas refined sugars injure our health.

There are many sugars hidden in foods today:
- Glucose is the sugar in blood
- Dextrose is glucose produced from corn
- Sucrose is table sugar
- Fructose is the principal sugar in fruit
- High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is made from corn starch
- Raw Sugar is already refined and only evaporated cane juice is truly 'raw' sugar (of the cane variety).
- Brown Sugar contains 95 per cent sucrose and 5 per cent molasses