Sugar as Dangerous as Smoking?

Is sugar as dangerous as smoking? It appears this may in fact be true. High sugar intake is triggering serious disease and can increase your risk of an early death.

Naturopaths have always had serious concerns about sugar. Now an increasing number of scientific organisations are also concerned about the devastating effects sugar can have on your health.

The World Health Organisation has over many years decreased maximum amount of sugar it considers acceptable for good health and to avoid serious disease. The latest suggestion works out to about 5 teaspoons sugar a day. I believe in the next few years that amount will be decreased even further.

Sugar can cause or increase your risk of heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, cancer, mental health problems and many other illnesses.

If you think this doesn’t apply to you, bear in mind all the sugar you and food manufactures add to food and drink is counted as detrimental.  Breakfast cereal has sugar added before you pour it out. Cereals sold as helpful for weight loss can include 14% sugar. Next check your yoghurt, soft drinks, biscuits, muffins, baked beans, and savoury crackers. Most “savoury” packed foods have a form of sugar added to the ingredients.

If you find it is really hard to stop eating sweet and sugary foods, you may low levels of magnesium. If using a Magnesium Supplement I recommend the Entire Katoa Food State Magnesium for high absorption and high bioavailability. Craving of sweet food also indicates you may have blood sugar imbalances or a food addiction issue.

I can remember when smoking was not thought to be a public health issue. The very idea of a health warning on packets of cigarettes was viewed as extreme and alarmist. More people suffered and died. Then eventually anti-smoking campaigns were seen as a sensible reaction to a massive problem.

The anti-sugar campaigns are finally getting some recognition. I would love to see health warnings on foods containing sugar; perhaps that would help prevent the suffering it causes.

Contact the Naturopaths at Bay Naturopath for more information and to book your consultation.

Original article January 2014 Copyright Jaine Kirtley