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60 Minutes had an excellent segment on this subject. Speaking of sugar, take a look at this visual. It's the most-viewed post that I have ever published.
Interesting video from Soda Free Summer. Also visit: Have a Coke and a . . . On average, we're consuming twice as much sugar as recommended. Our bodies require sugar. However, over time and in large quantities sugar is toxic. This chart from the CDC provides the stats.
If you're drinking just one can of soda per day (10 teaspoons of sugar), this is the amount of sugar you are consuming annually. That's the headline/question of this New York Times article. In a word, yes. A little sugar is not going to harm anyone. However, the quantity that most people consume (on average, 150 pounds per year) is much more than our bodies can handle. It's not just in cookies, candies, soda, and ice cream. Sugar is showing up in many unexpected places. For example, hamburger buns. Of course, it's in ketchup and salad dressing. Each contains about 25% sugar. If you would like to see how much sugar you consume by drinking one soda per day, take a peek. So, yes, sugar in large quantities is most definitely a toxic substance. While this interview and article date back to 2003 and 2004, they are a great window into the world of politics and our food system. In this case, sugar. When it comes to the American food system, it's hard to shock me. However, when I read that this candy boasted that it is: "A Fat Free Candy", I was surprised. Why? It ain't the fat that counts, it's the calories and sugar. This box contains 630 calories and 28 teaspoons of sugar. Yep, it's good and plenty full of calories and sugar. The Fat Free statement reminds me of this quote: As a population, we cut dietary fat in a rather dysfunctional way, and we grew even fatter. – Dr. David L. Katz
When you drink a 20-ounce soda, how much sugar are you consuming? Take a look. If you drink one 12-ounce can of soda per day, this is the amount of sugar you will consume in a year. *Eating a bagel and eating a cup of sugar may taste different, but metabolically they are no different. - Dr. David Ludwig
*The same can be stated for candy, cookies, and many of the other sugary things we eat. However, I am not sure about the actual measurement Dr. Ludwig uses. If you drink one soda per day, you might want to look at the amount of sugar you consume. Frequently, I get asked this question. My pat answer: I have read no evidence that they are harmful. Well, James Krieger has done a lot of research on this subject. I recommend that you read his blog post about it.
If you drink one 12-ounce can of soda a day, in one year, this is the amount of sugar you will consume. Now think about it: What if . . . you drink two, three, four or more a day? .
Would you like a glass of water to wash all that sugar down? When I show this jug in my presentations, many people take this quote to heart: Good habits are as addictive as bad habits, and a lot more rewarding. - Harvey MacKay By the way, if you would like to see a "health" drink that has a lot more calories than the Coke/Pepsi example, check this out. Pepsi seems to think that real sugar and high fructose corn syrup are really different. Yo Pepsi; Not really - calories are the same and you can expect about 9 teaspoons of sugar in each one. There is one difference: real sugar is more expensive. So, that's why this will be available for a limited time.
There is one doc who does believe that there is a difference. You can watch the video here. And here's a little flashback: Many years ago, Steve Jobs was recruiting John Sculley (then president of PepsiCo) for the CEO position at Apple Computer. He bluntly asked him, “Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugar water to children, or do you want a chance to changethe world?” Mr. Sculley took the position with Apple. While I do not have first-hand knowledge about his decision to leave PepsiCo, all of us should question our huge consumption of sugar water, better known as soda, soft drinks and juice. This "fruit" juice should be the poster child for junk food.
First, take note of what it states at its website: POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice is a little bit sweet, a little bit tart and a whole lotta healthy. Bursting with superior levels of naturally occurring antioxidants and backed by $32 million in medical research, it’s also 100% authentic, 100% delicious and 100% pure, meaning there’s no added sugar, colorants or cheap filler juices. So raise a glass to life. And the pursuit of healthiness. Here's what you need to know. In a 16-ounce bottle it has 15 teaspoons of sugar and 300 calories. The back of the bottle states: Drink it daily. Feel it forever. I agree, around the hips. Just like the bottle demonstrates. 170! The pounds of sugar individuals consumer per year! A picture is worth a thousand words.1/20/2010 Okay, that's 42 of the Domino's container - wow! A typical salad dressing is 25-30% sugar (the white stuff in the bottle), and one of my old-time favorites - Arby's Jamoca Shake has 25 teaspoons of sugar (pictured in the cup).
Now, you can visualize how we each consume so much sugar. |
Welcome to my blog about diet, health, and lifestyle issues. You'll find snippets and tidbits to assist with living a healthier lifestyle. Enjoy. - Ken Leebow
I'm a professional speaker. If your organization would like someone to speak on the subject of diet, health, and lifestyle issues, please contact me.
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