Picture from www.nancyappleton.com
Today I am writing about health. This follows my new resolution of ‘No sugar in my tea or coffee again’. Personal development involves all three aspects of well being, physical, mental and spiritual. To be physically and mentally health, it is important to consider seriously what we eat and its effects.
One of the main constituent of foods that is loved by young and old is sugar.
Many people are inseparable with sugary foods.
The other day a friend of mine joined us from Tanzania to undertake his PhD. As a normal orientation routine, he was invited by an Irish friend for a cup of tea. The tea was served without sugar. When we met with him he complained bitterly of how he was served tea without sugar. As a Food Scientists I understood the benefits of sugarless tea but he didn’t.
That episode reminded me of those old days, when I was growing up. My parents were peasants, so they could not afford sugar. Only teachers could afford sugar. Sugar was viewed as a status symbol. When we had ‘special visitors’ my mum went to great length of borrowing sugar from neighbours. Sometimes she was lucky, other times not. If she was lucky, she was very happy. Wildly as it may sound, only the visitors were served tea with sugar. We were guaranteed tea with sugar only on Christmas.
Since then, circumstances have entirely changed. Sugar is one of the worst enemies of human health.
As expected of me, my views and thoughts about sugar have followed suit. They have changed and changed wholly. Today (01-11-09), I resolved never to take sugar again.
Although sugar has its benefits, its evils outweigh the benefits. Dr Nancy Appleton has written four books about the evils of sugar. She has narrowed down to 146 evils of sugar. If you need to read all of them please click the following link http://www.healingcancernaturally.com/sugar-health-effects-risks.html
Below I have listed 20 evils associated with sugar
- Sugar can cause hypoglycaemia.
- Sugar can cause premature aging.
- Sugar can lead to alcoholism.
- Sugar can cause tooth decay.
- Sugar contributes to obesity..
- Sugar can cause heart disease.
- Sugar can cause a decrease in insulin sensitivity.
- Sugar can increase the systolic blood pressure.
- Sugar can contribute to diabetes.
- Sugar can cause cardiovascular disease.
- Sugar can damage the pancreas.
- Sugar can lead to the formation of kidney stones.
- Diets high in sugar can cause free radicals and oxidative stress.
- The rapid absorption of sugar promotes excessive food intake in obese subjects.
- Sugar causes high blood pressure in obese people.
- Sugar can cause liver tumours.
- Sugar can increase the risk of stomach cancer.
- Sweet food items increase the risk of breast cancer.
- Sugar is a risk factor in cancer of the small intestine.
- Sugar may cause laryngeal cancer.
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Disclaimer: These constitutes my opinions. They should by no means be used as a substitute to approved medical treatment.
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{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
Hey! This one, I can sincerely say its makes me shiver! The way sugar is sweet! I always try to avoid sugar but I end up looking for it! I am fighting the fight now, to try STOP taking sugar completely! Arimi you highly educate many of us in here, keep up the good work! God bless.
Now, Joshua, arethere any benefits(healthwise) that derive from taking sugar? Fom the article it appears that sugar is simply poisonous, yet thousands of cane farmers eke a living by farming poison. Is itn’t the high time Mumias Sugar and others were compelled to put a health warning on the packages, as in cigarretes? Just wopndering…………..
Sugar has health benefits. The major one being the provision of energy (calories). However, processed sugar has been stripped of vitamins and minerals so it provides only calories. This means you get what is called ‘empty calories’. These lead to weight gain and obesity. The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of sugar is 40g. This is equivalent to 7 teaspoonfuls of sugar. Anything more than that is excess. The biggest issue with sugar is that we get more than enough calories from natural foods. This makes sugar calories redundant or just undesirable evil.
Thanks Frida.
@ Kinyua, sorry to ask again, would mind to tell us ua profession? Preach water and drink water ama aje mzee. Anyway, it requires some effort and will power. Start small and you will manage. Probably by first reducing the amount. Followed by skipping some days, and eventually you can forego completely.
@ kinyua i feel u cousin but put some efforts like am doing here@ Arimi this is a good document
I have the will but the body is weak
I miss the life of our fore fathers. Eating cheap and staying health. I will try kupunguza kwa chai lakini kwa uji….
@ Frank, you are doing really well, 8 litres of water is no joke. All soft drinks are extremely bad for your helath. However, some companies tout freshly squeezed juices. I support those. In addition, I support buying a juice or smoothie that you can see how it is processed-squeezed from a fruit. This morning I was surprised to see this article on this link http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20091101/thl-artificial-drinks-damage-kidneys-d831572.html
@ Fiona, Thanks. For sure it will pay dividends. The obvious one is saving money.
@ Bessy, I am glad to hear that. Our health is our wealth.
@ Waweru, one step at time as Bessy as suggested. Try what you can. After achieving that, it will give you impetus to move one, within no time you will find yourself celebrating the success.
Spot on! please check this http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20091101/thl-artificial-drinks-damage-kidneys-d831572.html
Thank you much Sir forthe insight, i dont take tea or coffee at all instead i take about 8 litres of water a day and at times i substitute with sports drinks like Gatorade and sodas but still they have sugar, can you please comment on that Sir?
Thanks karimi,i think i will borrow your idea.
Thanx 4 ths.u hav rly changd me coz frm now av 2 observe th amount of sugar
Hey,u said it.from this morning am cutting down on stuff rich in sugar e.g cakes.l will also reduce from 3teaspoons of sugar to 1 en will quit gradually.thanks 4 keeping us informd.
What will i do, and how i love sugar.my wife never takes sugar but for me am revenging where i drank sugarless tea as a boy.now,where do i start?