“Today we have a nation that is addicted to sugar. In 1915, the national average of sugar consumption (per year) was around 15 to 20 pounds per person. Today the average person consumes his/her weight in sugar, plus over 20 pounds of corn syrup.”  Macrobiotic Guide

How much sugar do you consume per day on average?  Are you sure?

Honey seems tasteless to a person who is full, but even bitter food tastes sweet to the hungry.  (Prov. 27:7; NLT)

Sugar is sugar. How very profound. A little sugar is good (I suppose some would argue with that, so let’s just say a little is probably OK), but a lot is way too much.

Our culture is literally obsessed with sugar. Today’s link contains an alarming video documentary produced by CBCNews (Canadian Broadcasting Company) that asserts we are literally “slaves to a sugar-based diet.”

The stastic in the quote is bad enough, but remember, average sugar consumption means that there are some who eat little or no sugar which means there have to be some who consume far in excess of their weight in sugar each year. You’re not one of them are you? Do you even know how much sugar you consume?

By now you’ve probably read somewhere that sodas are one of the primary sources of this incredible sugar intake. So you know sugar is in soda. Any idea how much? I almost dare you to take a look at the pictures on the Sugar Stacks site. It will blow you away. Gulp! (Or maybe Big Gulp! Or even better a Double Gulp!) And if you’re a parent, it will probably make you a bit unpopular with your kiddos for a while.

You see, sugar consumption is not just from soda, candy bars, and the amount you sprinkle on your cereal each morning or the amount you pour into your coffee or iced tea, but it is hiding in almost all processed foods. Here again, you have to develop the habit of reading labels.

But just to make it more interesting, there are now over 40 types of sugar used in processed food. So don’t expect the label to say “sugar.” It might, but far more likely it will list things like sucrose, polydextrose, glucose, fruit juice concentrate, fructo-oligosaccharides, dextrose, dextrin, cane juice, brown rice syrup, barley malt, etc. Sugar, by another name, is still sugar — right? Pretty clever, huh? (Also pretty deceptive some might say.)

You’ll note that the quote mentioned high-fructose corn syrup or HFC. Technically, HFC is not sugar. It’s a sugar substitute. But a chemical substitute that many feel is far worse than sugar itself.

We’ve not even touched on the artificial sweeteners which have become all the rage of late. But they’re covered by a couple of earlier DG’s which Sharon wrote, “Sweetener Confusion” and the followup, “Clearing Up Sweetener Confusion.”  I’ll resist the temptation to open that can of worms.

So, remember. Sugar is sugar, no matter what fancy name they disguise it behind. If you think you’ve figured it out, they’ll almost always be just one step ahead of you with another clever and deceptive trick. You’re only real defense is to avoid processed foods as much as possible and stick to foods that God made and that your great-grandma probably ate.

After all, they were made for human consumption by the Designer.

Prayer Power
Father, we thank You for the ability to taste food and enjoy sweets while at the same time You have given us the ability as humans to make choices, and then the wisdom and information to make those choices with care.

Link of the Day
Sugar – Pure White and Deadly

Photo by Liz Henry