Sugar

[Zech]

I was reading an article about salt earlier today, and was interested to learn that the Japanese diet is very much higher in salt than either US or UK diets. I wonder if a taste for salty food takes the place of a sweet tooth there?

Back to the point, do your comments relate to all sugars (e.g. in fruit or honey) or only refined sugar, Durgan?

Incidentally, I'm always surprised (OK, the surprise may be wearing off by now) at how much sugar there is in American recipes - molasses in beans? I'll pass on that, thanks.

[baldybloke]

There are several books that cover this topic, for those brave enough. Not on the label by Felicity Lawrence, The Great Food Gamble by John Humphrys and another called The Food Maze by Robert Elliot. All worth reading but they will change the way you look at food. Also worth reading is Shopped by Joanna Blythman.

[Durgan]

I was reading an article about salt earlier today, and was interested to learn that the Japanese diet is very much higher in salt than either US or UK diets. I wonder if a taste for salty food takes the place of a sweet tooth there?

Back to the point, do your comments relate to all sugars (e.g. in fruit or honey) or only refined sugar, Durgan?

Incidentally, I'm always surprised (OK, the surprise may be wearing off by now) at how much sugar there is in American recipes - molasses in beans? I'll pass on that, thanks.

My concern is basically refined sugar in all its forms. I don't use much honey but would be wary of the quantity if used.

[baldybloke]

A lot of commercial honey has added sugar. Honey bought from a local beekeeper should be fine.

[yvette]

I have a friend with eating problems, has a sort of addictive reaction to foods with a lot of refined sugar in them in that once started she cannot stop eating them. I should stress that this is not just a 'lack of willpower' and that she is in every way a sane and sensible and intelligent person. Anyway, because it can be hard to completely eliminate refined sugar she now avoids what she calls 'refined sugar products', which is anything with refined sugars or related products (eg glucose syrup etc) 5th or higher on the list of ingredients. She's found that this really helps and she doesn't get the addictive craving and bingeing.
The real problem, though, is one of food culture - of course we all need to take personal responsibility for what we eat but there are ways in which the culture of food around us can make it easier or harder to make the healthier choices.

[pelmetman]

Yep..... too much sugar can be a problem ............but I do wonder why these allergies/addictions are not found in third world countries

Dave

[trinder]

just a quick question to "baldybloke" if you had a friend who read load s (ie.avid reader) relatively articulate but is prone to "asking the parking angel" questions rather than understanding theory of probability. Which of the books you mentioned would you recomend as a christmas present ?:hugish:

[Ellendra]

An Email from my daughter in Japan.

I can count on 1 hand the number of obese people I've seen here in more than 10 years! And if I see one they are invariably white foreigners!

I take it she doesn't frequent the sumo matches?

[Durgan]

An Email from my daughter in Japan.

I can count on 1 hand the number of obese people I've seen here in more than 10 years! And if I see one they are invariably white foreigners!

I take it she doesn't frequent the sumo matches?

Actually she goes to the odd sumo match with the family and tends to like it. Of course, the Sumo works at getting fat.

[The Riff-Raff Element]

Anyway, because it can be hard to completely eliminate refined sugar she now avoids what she calls 'refined sugar products', which is anything with refined sugars or related products (eg glucose syrup etc) 5th or higher on the list of ingredients.

Things like high fructose corn syrups are the Devil's work. There is a fair amount of research looking at the possible links between consuming high levels of fructose (a sugar that is oh so begnin when eaten in small quantities in fruit or similarly in honey, in moderation) and early onset diabeties. The quantitis being consumed in sodas and some ready made sweet desserts is just staggering.

[baldybloke]

just a quick question to "baldybloke" if you had a friend who read load s (ie.avid reader) relatively articulate but is prone to "asking the parking angel" questions rather than understanding theory of probability. Which of the books you mentioned would you recomend as a christmas present ?:hugish:

Well Trinder, that's a big ask. The one that really opened my eyes and galvanised me into action was Not on the Label by Felicity Lawrence. Explains what really goes into processed food. Shopped by Joanna Blythman is more about how big corporations operate and their domination of the market. John Humphrys (yes, of Mastermind fame) book The great Food Gamble is a bit of both. Robert Elliot's book, The Food Maze is a self published book that covers most of the above topics, but incorporates a road trip to Scotland as he researches for the book. He is also local to you, as he runs a B & B somewhere near Hereford.
I hope this helps in making your choice, but it hard for me to recommend any particular one as they should all be required reading.

Cheers

Paul

[cideristhefuture]

The food you are talking about 'could' make you 'FAT'. Know it's not a nice word but its true.

Sugar does not make you 'fat'. Eating pounds of a lot of foods will make you 'fat'.

Poor education, not eating at a table, as a family, not cooking from scratch and not teaching children how to cook will make you 'fat'.

Using Japan as an example is poor, as Japan counts for only a small percent of the world. Yes wish we all could eat as they do, but the reason their diet is such is due to their eco system, their farm land is the sea.

[Durgan]

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?BRGOG Sugar should be controlled like alcohol: report
Sugar is so toxic it should be controlled like alcohol, according to new report that goes so far as to suggest setting an age limit of 17 years to buy soda pop.

It points to sugar as a culprit behind many of the world’s major killers — heart disease, cancer and diabetes — that are now a greater health burden than infectious disease.

A little sugar “is not a problem, but a lot kills — slowly,” says the report to be published Thursday in Nature, a top research journal.


Over the eons sugar was available to our ancestors as fruit for only a few months a year at harvest time, or as honey “which was guarded by bees,” says the report by Dr. Robert Lustig, a noted childhood obesity expert at the University of California, and two U.S. colleagues specializing in health policy...

[merlin]

I don't use it as a rule. It is bad thing, just generally. It is totally devoid of anything useful for the body, it is dear and the pushers are nothing better than market controlling manipulating bad people. Once a year I use some for making brandy, but since I make that for barter and prezzies, and ferment it all out, I'm off the hook lol.

Bad man force feeding all those poor yeasts, greedy buggers

[grahamhobbs]

Merlin I agree, sugar is like smoking, a useless and unhealthy addiction. I haven't eaten refined sugar (except very occasional ice cream and pickles) for over 40 years. No cakes, no biscuits, no sweets, chocolates or processed foods, as far as I could help it.
Do I miss any of them - no, in fact anything containing sugar now tastes positively disgusting. For those who still take sugar in their tea or coffee, give it up for 3 weeks and then try it with sugar again, I am convinced you will positively hate it.