Professional Documents
Culture Documents
We have grown accustomed to the idea that there are good nutrients and
bad nutrients. Protein, complex carbohydrates, fiber and essential fats
are among the nutrients that are generally considered to be good. Sugars,
other simple carbohydrates, and saturated fats are among the nutrients
that are generally considered to be bad.
Let’s look closely at the specific example of sugar. Sugar is arguably the
single most vilified nutrient today. Type the word “sugar” into the Google
search box and see what happens. I did so and was presented with links
to articles with titles such as “The Dangers of Sugar” and “146 Reasons
Why Sugar Is Ruining Your Health.”
There is no disputing the fact that Americans eat too much sugar, and
that eating too much sugar carries significant health consequences. The
average American now gets 17 percent of his daily calories from sugar.
That’s incredible! Undoubtedly, the dramatic increase in overweight and
obesity that has paralleled the dramatic increase in sugar consumption
over the past 30 years has been caused in part by increased sugar
consumption. However, the evidence suggests that it is not sugar per se
that has made America fat. Rather, it’s simply the fact that we are eating
a lot more, and a large portion of those additional calories just happen to
be sugar calories.
Not only is sugar not directly to blame for causing some of the health
effects it’s impugned with, but sugar is also beneficial when consumed
appropriately. For example, when consumed after exercise, sugar results
in rapid replenishment of muscle glycogen and better performance in the
next workout. Indeed, in the right circumstances a can of Coke can
literally save your life. How can that be bad?
I’m not suggesting that you should feel free to eat as much sugar as you
want. There are two specific ways in which high levels of sugar
consumption are problematic. First, a diet that is high in sugary foods is
likely to be a diet of caloric excess. Indeed, it is easier to overeat on a
high-sugar diet than on a low-sugar diet because sugar provides less
satiety (or hunger satisfaction) per calorie than any other type of
nutrient.
Second, to some extent, the more sugar you eat, the less other stuff you
eat. Thus if you eat a lot of sugar you might not get enough of other
nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and antioxidant phytonutrients.
There is growing belief among nutrition scientists that under-
consumption of micronutrients is perhaps almost as important a
contributor to overweight as overconsumption of macronutrients. Dr.
Anne-Thea McGill of the University of Auckland recently coined the
awkward term “malnubesity” to describe obesity resulting from the
combination of overeating and malnourishment that is characteristic of
the American diet today, which is also perhaps the most sugary diet in
world history.