Sugar as Addictive as Cocaine

Dr. David B. Samadi on Fox News talking about the dangers of sugar. Is it really as addictive as cocaine? See how the doctor answers.

60 Minutes Sugar Episode

Dr. Sanjay Gupta reports on new research showing that beyond weight gain, sugar can take a serious toll on your health, worsening conditions ranging from heart disease to cancer.

It’s nice to see a well made report on the dangers of chronic sugar consumption, but they’re preaching to the choir here at Stop Being Sweet. After having Facebook debates with folks who believe that removing sugar from their children’s food is the same as taking happiness out of childhood, I’m hoping more reports like this get aired. Maybe the general public will be forced to admit that sugar isn’t the fun food people should be eating all day every day.

Notice the sugar representative doesn’t actually say that sugar is healthy. He instead says that people should beware of what they eat.

PS - Did you hear Dr. Lustig settle the debate on whether sugar and High Fructose Corn Syrup (Corn Sugar) are equal or different? He said they’re the same—both bad for us!

Video - Sugar: Beyond Obesity and Tooth Decay

The Cause of Obesity: Eat Less, Exercise More?

Dr. Robert Lustig, the doctor responsible for raising awareness about the dangers of sugar, talks about how the “eat less, exercise more” argument for fighting obesity is not working and why.

Related posts featuring Dr. Robert Lustig

• Toxic Truth About Sugar Video with Robert Lustig, MD

• Robert “Sugar: Bitter Truth” Lustig on ABC News

• Sugar: The Bitter Truth Video with Dr. Robert Lustig

• Sugar: The Bitter Truth Video

• New York Times Article Adds to Dr. Lustig Video Popularity

Are You Sugarholic?

• Can you imagine a happy birthday without eating cake?
• Could you enjoy a wedding without having dessert?
• When you eat sweets, do you want more and more?
• Are you annoyed when you have to share sweets with others?
• Is your sugar consumption making you unhappy?
• Do you binge on sweets?
• Is your reputation that of a “sugar fiend”?
• Do you eat sugary snacks to relieve stress?
• Do you look forward to eating junk food?
• Do you stock up on sweets at home and still run out?

If you answered yes to two or more of these questions, take the interactive sugar addiction quiz!

Had Any Sugar This Morning?

Ban Sugar from Schools!

If parents want to have the freedom to exercise their personal responsibility in making choices about how much sugar their children eat, then parents can feed their kids sweets in the morning and refill them with sweets when the children arrive home after school. 

We don’t let kids chew gum in school. We also don’t let them curse, fight, or surf the web during class because it distracts and disrupts the education process. People understand and agree on that. Those rules were made to help teachers and students do their jobs better.

I’ve never heard someone say that preventing children from chewing gum or picking fights in school was an infringement on their personal freedom. So why do people get upset about the idea of banning sweets from schools? Because people don’t consider sugar to be that unhealthy, let alone addictive. If parents knew beyond a doubt that sugary foods were substantially impairing their child’s abilities then they’d be all for banning the stuff from schools. They might even stop purchasing sweets for home consumption. Yet plenty of people think sugar is a major food group that is okay to consume in moderation just like cigarettes, drugs, and alcohol (all banned from schools).

Why do we continue to eat something when we know it’s bad for us? Peer pressure? Availability? Addiction? Brainwashing? Ignorance?

The sugar ban suggestion made it to the municipal level by way of concerned parents and education professionals. The idea that there is an evil politician removing our children’s freedom was spun by PR firms hired by food manufacturing companies. Still, some parents believe the removal of flavored milk from cafeteria menus is a big government attempt to take away our right to choose. These people believe in choice—when it comes to strawberry vs. chocolate, that is.

10 Unsweet Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas for Your Sweetie

In 2009, I posted 10 Sugar-Free Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas. Below are ten new ideas for Valentine’s Day gifts that do not contain sugar!

1. Tickets to See a Show

You know what your partner likes. Buy good seats and go.

2. A Week of Nightly Massages

This is especially nice if you administer the massages when your partner is tired and/or tense. A week of massage beats a store bought box of chocolates any day!

3. Create a New Love Ritual

Admit it, you’ve got some kind of “Friday night television” or “Saturday morning wake up” that you do with your lover. Make up a new ritual like “Sunday afternoon walk” or “Monday morning talk.”

4. Something Utilitarian

If you’re with someone who doesn’t like cutesy things that end up sitting around the house gathering dust, get them something they’ll use. A new tool, hobby supplies, or a discount card at the store they always go to can make your practical person feel appreciated. 

5. Go Local

What’s more romantic than community theater? How about a local comedy show? Church potluck? A lecture? There’s something out there that can become an adventure for the two of you.

6. Head to the Beach

If you’re close enough to the coast, go there!

7. Get a Book

Who doesn’t love a good book? Better yet if the book contains a secret note that contains a promise for gift #2.

8. Go to the Movies

Make some kind of snack that has no sugar and head off to the worst movie that’s showing. Doing so will guarantee that you and your partner bond over questioning the terrible plot you just witnessed.

9. Stay in and Watch a Movie

Make dinner with a sugar free dessert. Then stay in, watch a movie, and eat well.

10. Give of Yourself

Spending time with the one you love is a valuable gift. Don’t take it for granted! Block out a significant amount of time together to just do whatever. Making time for the one you love is love.