The World We Live In

The average American intake of "added" (non-naturally occurring) sugar is 20.5 teaspoons per day or 68.6 pounds per year, per person and is suspected to be even higher. (USDA CSFII Survey) The FDA says that the only problem sugar causes is dental caries. And with the support of the American Dietetic Association, the Sugar Association says that at only 15 calories per teaspoon, sugar is a healthy, low-calorie sweetener that is no different than any other carbohydrate.

The Truth

In truth, numerous studies have shown that sugar depresses the immune system, making the body's white blood cells sluggish and disinclined to attack invading organisms. But since sugar falls into two categories Added and Natural or naturally occurring, this report will examine both--starting with added sugar which causes harm at a fundamental level. To understand why, let's take a look at how your body works.

The Body Machinery

The carbohydrates we eat are converted by the body into a simple sugar called glucose. This glucose, or "blood sugar," enters the bloodstream to be transported throughout the body. (Blood sugar is the primary energy source used by the brain, the nervous system, and the muscles.) To be utilized, the blood sugar must get from the blood-stream into the nerve and muscle cells. This is where insulin comes into the picture. Insulin is the pancreatic hormone that opens up the cell walls so blood sugar can enter. It is the key to the whole energy process.

Insulin is secreted in two phases. A surge of insulin is initially released immediately following a meal, or when sugar or sweetness is detected in the mouth and digestive system. A second round of insulin is released shortly after a meal and continues to be released gradually for several hours.

For insulin to work properly, it must be present in sufficient quantities, and the cells in your body must be "sensitive" to its effects. When cells don't react to the effects of insulin by allowing sugar to enter through their cell walls, a condition called insulin resistance exists. Insulin resistance isn't fully understood at this point. However, we do know that insulin resistance is often directly related to obesity. This is especially true when a person has a fat build-up in the waist or abdominal area.

Studies have shown that obese, non-diabetic individuals can reduce their levels of circulating insulin simply by losing weight. This reduction in the amount of insulin occurs without any changes in blood sugar levels. In other words, by losing weight, one can often overcome insulin resistance. This is true because, with less fat to complicate matters, existing insulin levels become more effective at lowering blood sugar levels.

On the flip side, excess abdominal fat and fat that has accumulated around the liver increase the amount of circulating free fatty acids in the blood. As these fatty acids break down, they increase toxicity levels. In turn, increased toxicity has been shown to do two things: First, it inhibits the production of insulin; and second, it makes muscle cells less sensitive to the insulin that is available. Muscle tissue is crucial in helping to balance blood sugar levels. Under normal circumstances, over 80% of the blood sugar released immediately following a meal is taken up by muscle cells.

The Monkey Wrench

It should be obvious from this simple biology review that the regulation of insulin is a very important part of staying healthy and alive. Unfortunately, an increasing percentage of the American population cannot maintain this balance. And when insulin and blood sugar regulation capabilities get seriously out of whack, we have the condition called diabetes.

For decades alternative health practitioners have been warning about the dangers of increased sugars and/or refined carbohydrates in the diet. Unfortunately, trying to convince the public that consuming too much sugar could eventually lead to diabetes has been a real uphill battle. Even today, as diabetes reaches epidemic proportions in this country, most doctors continue to preach that dietary sugar is totally harmless and has no connection to behavior problems, mood swings, depression, or the increased incidence of adult onset diabetes.

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