Should Sugar Be Regulated like Alcohol and Tobacco? . . . In an opinion piece called “The Toxic Truth About Sugar” that was published Feb. 1 in the journal
Nature, Robert Lustig, Laura Schmidt and Claire Brindis argue that it’s a misnomer to consider sugar just “empty calories.” They write: “There is nothing empty about these calories. A growing body of scientific evidence is showing that fructose can trigger processes that lead to liver toxicity and a host of other chronic diseases. A little is not a problem, but a lot kills — slowly.”
Almost everyone’s heard of — or personally experienced — the proverbial sugar high, so perhaps the comparison between sugar and alcohol or tobacco shouldn’t come as a surprise. But it’s doubtful that Americans will look favorably upon regulating their favorite vice. We’re a nation that’s sweet on sugar:
the average U.S. adult downs 22 teaspoons of sugar a day, according to the American Heart Association, and
surveys have found that teens swallow 34 teaspoons. . .
http://healthland.time.com/2012/02/02/should-sugar-be-regulated-like-alcohol-and-tobacco/When you think about your typical breakfast, lunch, and dinner--including beverages--do you see yourself in these averages? 22 teaspoons a day sounds scary!
