Sugar is the silent killer...............

Sugar makes you fat!  Oh dear...this is a serious blog today.  Yes good old sugar in everything we eat (and drink almost) makes us fat and makes us sick and really isn't good for any of us in any way or form.
Not even a little bit of it or in moderation is good for us.

Why Sugar Is Toxic To The Body

In 1957, Dr. William Coda Martin tried to answer the question: When is a food a food and when is it a poison? His working definition of "poison" was: "Medically: Any substance applied to the body, ingested or developed within the body, which causes or may cause disease. Physically: Any substance which inhibits the activity of a catalyst which is a minor substance, chemical or enzyme that activates a reaction."1 The dictionary gives an even broader definition for "poison": "to exert a harmful influence on, or to pervert".

Dr. Martin classified refined sugar as a poison because it has been depleted of its life forces, vitamins and minerals. "What is left consists of pure, refined carbohydrates. The body cannot utilize this refined starch and carbohydrate unless the depleted proteins, vitamins and minerals are present. Nature supplies these elements in each plant in quantities sufficient to metabolize the carbohydrate in that particular plant. There is no excess for other added carbohydrates. Incomplete carbohydrate metabolism results in the formation of 'toxic metabolite' such as pyruvic acid and abnormal sugars containing five carbon atoms. Pyruvic acid accumulates in the brain and nervous system and the abnormal sugars in the red blood cells. These toxic metabolites interfere with the respiration of the cells. They cannot get sufficient oxygen to survive and function normally. In time, some of the cells die. This interferes with the function of a part of the body and is the beginning of degenerative disease."2
Refined sugar is lethal when ingested by humans because it provides only that which nutritionists describe as "empty" or "naked" calories. It lacks the natural minerals which are present in the sugar beet or cane.

All of the above may sound like it's just scientific jargon but it's all true.  So they knew back to 1957 how bad sugar is for our whole nervous sustem, brain function without going into weight issues.

The latest research is a bit more scarey however I wont give you too much more info at this stage otherwise you may never want to read my blog again.

Sugar is in everything.  I have known a few Australians who have lived in the States.  Their biggest concern was that sugar is in so much more food products than here in Australia at the moment.  I've seen...well we all have seen programs about how overweight and obese Americans are and how it's mainly due to the convenience/fast food market.  Well as I said in another blog it's not just that.  A lot of it comes down to education.  Jamie Oliver went over to the States and went to one city to try to change their mind set about food and to get them eating healthy easy to prepare food.  Did you see it?  It was brilliant.  It was hard for him...he almost gave up at one point if not for the kids.  There was just so much opposition from the adults. 

Look I told you before how my mother put sugar on virtually everything to get me to eat food when I was a kid.  Now if I didn't know any better it would have been just as easy to do the same with my child.  Sadly we still have generations of families who cook and eat as their parents/grandparents ate.  That's all they know.   And if their diets are not good as in well balanced then what hope is there.

Where does it all start?  I think a lot of the Australian cooking shows are doing a brilliant job at helping normal everyday Aussies to see the many different ways of cooking.  It's an eye opener for them.  Since the introduction of shows like Master Chef, kids are getting involved. Look at the kids version of the show. It's fun and do you know why?  Because the kids are having fun.  They are not being forced to cook or go to the auditions.  These kids are FOODIES.  In the best sense of the word. 

They love cooking and creating just like other young kids love to play dress ups or excel in sports.  These kids excel in their 'sport' which happens to be cooking.  They know more about it than I do and I would call myself a reasonable cook with  flair. 

So is the anwser with our children?  Well yes and no.  If they are starting to question the food put in front of them well that's a start.  The 'cook' in the family may not want to change however it may mean that when that child leaves home they will leave behind one way of cooking and eating then hopefully create exactly the type of diet they want for the rest of their life.  Even if they don't understand nutrition and it's value, just knowing the difference in how their boodies feel after eating junk food or a healthier option means that we have change.   That's what it is all about really...Change...

Oops...I got off track starting with sugar and ending with children...Or did I?

I don't have all the answers just my opinion.  That's what this blog is all about.  So what do you think?