By Penelope A. Domogo, MD
“From the Garden of Eden through thousands of years, what we call sugar was unknown to man. He evolved and survived without it.” (William Duffy, Sugar Blues, 1975)
In ancient times, sugar was found only in the tropics. It was a rare luxury, very expensive, and, like honey, used as medicine. It became a major commodity in the lucrative trade of colonizers. British colonizers soon developed a technology to refine it and since then sugar pushing has become a big time industry. Sugar has become so cheap that everybody could afford it. Go to the remotest barrio nowadays and it is there. It is favorite “labay” of kids especially if their parents are not home. It is present in almost all store-bought food – from pan de sal to soy sauce, from ketchup to liquor and cigarettes. So even if you don’t put sugar in your tea, you are getting it in your soft drink or in your white bread or crackers. LOTS OF IT.
Sugar- those brown or white crystals- is refined sugar produced by multiple chemical processing of sugar cane or sugar beet juice and REMOVAL of all fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals. What is left is sucrose – a simple sugar which is purely a carbohydrate. Substances such as sulfur dioxide, milk of lime, cabon dioxide, calcium carbonate are used in the industrial refining process. Brown sugar is white sugar colored with molasses or caramel so it not is any better, it is still refined.
Other sources of excess sugar are milk, chocolates (candy or drink), white flour, white rice and fruits.
How does sugar cause disease? Once it is eaten, it causes a “sugar reaction”- it paralyzes the stomach temporarily. It is a strong alkaloid so the stomach produces much acid to balance it. The blood becomes overly acidic and it causes inflammation. Now science has discovered that inflammation is what causes disease – from infection to heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, etc. Because our body wants to preserve our health, it tries to balance this acidity by using minerals from your daily food so be sure to always eat assorted vegetables and beans. However, if you eat sugar everyday, this supply of minerals from your food is not enough so your body must extract minerals from your teeth and bones causing decay and osteoporosis. So watch out because dental caries is one of the first signs of excess sugar in the body. Now if you continue this stressful eating for many years, your body will get worn out (parang naabusong sasakyan) and will not cope anymore and disease manifests. Will you wait for that to happen?
Sugar has been called an anti-nutrient because it upsets the existing balance in the body. Anti-nutrient, not a nutrient.
Here’s more damaging effects of sugar. Excess sugar is transformed inside your body into fat. So don’t be surprised if your blood exam shows high triglyceride or fat levels even if you are not eating meat or eggs. From the blood it is stored as fat in your buttocks, thighs, bilbil then to your more vital organs like the kidneys and the heart. Partly to excrete the excess fat, your skin can break out with pimples. It also makes your blood thick (as in syrup) and this strains your heart to pump harder causing high blood pressure. It causes diabetes. Furthermore, your body’s immunity is lowered so you easily get colds, cough or flu or any infection. Just as spilled sugar in your kitchen attracts insects, so does sugar in your blood attract mosquitoes, germs and parasites. That places you at greater risk of covid, dengue fever and other infections. The best way to prevent covid and dengue and prevent bleeding is lower your intake of sweet foods.
Worse, sugar is addicting. Do you feel your meal or your day is not complete without that soft drink or sweet coffee? Some people think life is not worth living without sugar. That’s addiction.
It is not easy to kick the sugar habit but the younger you do it, the better. Meaning it is better not to introduce sugar to your children. You’ll learn that everything changes…. including taste. All your food will taste sooo much better once you eliminate or drastically reduce your intake of refined sugar. To make this transition easier, kick red meat at the same time.
You will discover to your delight that life is better without refined sugar.**
“You were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, to serve one another in love.” Galatians 5:13
