SUGAR is a HUGE Health Hazard: Know the FACTS and SAVE your LIFE By M. SCUNZIANO, MD, NMD 09/18/2014

1. By
M. SCUNZIANO, MD, NMD
09/18/2014
1
SUGAR
is a HUGE Health Hazard:
Know the FACTS and SAVE your LIFE

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CONTENTS:
1) WHAT IS SUGAR? CARBS?
2) WHERE DOES IT COME FROM?
3) A GREAT MISUNDERSTANDING &
MISUSE OF THIS VITAL SUBSTANCE
4) GLYCEMIC INDEX
5) IT’S IN THE WATER!
6) READ THE LABEL. KNOW THE
“ALIASES” OF SUGAR
7) CHILDHOOD TURNS INTO
ADULTHOOD
8) HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH?
9) DON’T LET IT GO TO “WAIST”
10) HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP
11) DIABETES IS NOT THE ONLY PROBLEM
12) THE HEART AND BLOOD VESSELS IN
DANGER
13) THE BRAIN AND SUGAR
14) TYPE “3” DIABETES
15) ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS NO
BETTER…USE NATURAL
16) THE “ADDICTION” NEEDS TO END
17) WHERE ARE WE GOING WITH THE SUGAR
PROBLEM?
18) REFERENCES AND RECOMMENDED
READINGS

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A word about the word…
From the Sanskrit “sarkara” ; crystals of sugar from East Indian villages during the Gupta
Dynasty in the 5th century AD were called “khanda”, the origin of the word CANDY.
Sugar had been used by ancient cultures, so its natural sweetness was detected way
back when.
SUGAR in other languages: Spanish: azucar; Portuguese: acucar; French: sucre; Greek:
sakkaris; Italian: zucchero; English: jaggery
It was in the 5th century when Indian farmers found a means of turning SUGARCANE
into granulated form for easy storage and transport that the sugar industry took flight. It
has soared into our modern-day life with all its seductiveness that has now changed the
lives and claimed the lives of far too many people worldwide.
It was many centuries that saw the cultivation and processing of sugar from either cane
or beet sources that has literally been the reason for the mixing of cultures and huge
continental movements of people world over.
WHAT IS SUGAR???

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SUGAR…
…is a general term for carbohydrates that are sweet in
flavor and used in food production. It is also made by the
body for the purpose of immediate energy, the storage of
it, and is especially utilized by the brain. Sugar is made by
our own bodies from the ingestion of foods that contain
sugar (carbohydrate), fat and protein.
The fact is: we NEED it! The problem is: we have a huge
monster at large and we must control its movements…

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Sugars come in all sizes and shapes and all are composed of 3 elements: carbon,
hydrogen and oxygen. The simplest form and that which is used by the human
body is called GLUCOSE (aka DEXTROSE). Other simple sugars (monosaccharides)
that we find are:
1) Fructose- found in fruit
2) Galactose- found in dairy, sugar beets
3) Ribose-formed by the human body by an enzyme process; crucial element
of our RNA and DNA
Another category is the disaccharides formed by 2 of the above
monosaccharides. They include:
1) Sucrose- “table sugar”
2) Lactose- milk sugar
3) Maltose- from malt, a grain derivative

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A third category is oligosaccharides. These are longer chains of sugars (unlike a bulkier
starch) that include:
1) Fructo-oligosaccharides- found in many vegetables
2) Galactooligosaccharides- found in root plants such as chicory; excellent PRE-
biotics for health of the colon; essential part of human tissue called glycolipids
and glycoproteins.
A fourth category is that of polysaccharides. These are the most complex of the sugar
categories, consisting of multiple chains of subunits of the above 3 types:
1) Starch is the main example of a polysaccharide.
A subcategory is that of Sugar starches including:
1) Maltodextrin- a filler and thickener
2) Corn syrup- a sweetener and thickener
3) Dextrose- commercial glucose
4) HFCS (high fructose corn syrup)-a cheap sugar manufactured for just that reason;
a major health hazard

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Short for carbohydrates, carbs are essentially foods that contain sugar or
starch or a combination of both. Foods that contain a combination of
sugar, protein and fat will be categorized as carbohydrates if the main
component of the food has the carb content.
Carbs can be complex, i.e. absorbed slowly and are much better handled
by the body in terms of digestion, absorption and overall utilization by
the organs and tissues.
Examples of complex carbs are: beans, whole grains, seeds, nuts,
vegetables and fruits (Note: some fruits have a higher glycemic index and
should be consumed in lesser quantity- to discuss below)
WHAT ARE CARBS?

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Carbs can be simple, i.e. quickly absorbed by the body and raise
insulin levels very high. These are the most troublesome since their
uptake is rapid and high fructose intake in the majority of processed
foods is stored in the liver as FAT. This means one thing- FAT, and this
contributes to obesity and the diseases associated with it.
Examples of simple sugars are: candies, fruit juices, sodas, white
bread, alcohol and French fries (skinless).

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Main sources are: SUGAR CANE AND BEETS.
Since ANCIENT TIMES, sugarcane has been cultivated in
tropical climates of South and Southeast Asia.
Sugar cane: a grass of which the stems contain SUCROSE; it is
processed by hand or machine and the juice it yields becomes
the crystals that the world waits for…!
Beets: the roots contain A LOT of SUCROSE; mechanical
harvesting is followed by heavy processing and voile!
>>Some trivia…It was in 1492 when Chris Columbus brought
the “stuff” called sugarcane back to the New World.
WHERE DOES SUGAR COME FROM?

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The LARGEST producers are in descending order:
Brazil, India, Europe, China, Thailand, US, Mexico, Russia,
Pakistan and Australia.
From 2007 to 2012, the production of 163,000- 168,000
metric tons, respectively, has been tabulated from the
collective countries.
Currently, BRAZIL has the highest per capita consumption of
sugar. But, the US takes the cake: it is the WORLD’S LARGEST
CONSUMER OF SWEETENERS with both domestically made
and imported sugar.
WHERE IS SUGAR COMING FROM?

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A GREAT MISUNDERSTANDING OF SUGAR…
There is no question that the average human being
consumes too much sugar, far more than the body
needs or can handle without health deteriorating
consequences.
Let’s see what this means…
The body needs 130 grams of carbs from the diet daily for adequate
health balance. A pregnant woman needs approximately 175-200
grams daily.
The goal is 45-65 percent of the total caloric intake should come from
carbohydrates in the complex form.

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IMPORTANT! All carbohydrates need to be looked at very carefully in the
case of diabetes or pre-diabetes and adjustments for this are to be done as
you learn about your condition and how to manage it with the help of
nutritionists and information from reputable sources on diabetes.
Naturally occurring sugar is found in WHOLE UNPROCESSED FOODS: fruit,
milk, vegetables and grains. The most common natural sugars are:
LACTOSE & FRUCTOSE.
Sugar (carbohydrate food) is needed to fuel the body. We cannot survive
well without it and the lack of it can cause death, ultimately. The key is to…
AVOID ADDING OF SUGAR TO YOUR FOOD and limiting to WHAT YOU NEED
and not WHAT YOU DESIRE.

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Food manufacturers add sugar to foods and drinks to:
Enhance flavor, assist in fermentation of breads and
alcohol, maintain freshness of baked products, preserve
jellies and jam spreads.

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WHAT IS THE GLYCEMIC INDEX (GI)?
This is a number that we assign to a food that indicates how it may
effect a person’s blood glucose (blood sugar) level. Pure glucose has
a number of 100. So, we are comparing the food item with glucose.
The range is usually between 50-100. It is not very accurate for the
purpose of assessing a person’s carbohydrate status because it does
not take into context the total amount and other influences that the
carb-containing food may have so that we only use as a reference.
Carbohydrate counting still remains the better tool for anyone
needing to watch the sugar levels.
>>RECENT EVIDENCE…animal research shows that high GI carb is
associated with an increase in obesity.<<

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Here are some GI numbers for food
items:
Lower GI and better for you: 55 or less:
beans, intact grains, most vegetables,
berries, apples and peaches
Medium GI: 56-70: not-intact whole
wheat (refined, floured), pumpernickel
bread, pita bread, basmati rice, boiled
potatoes, grape juice, raisins, prunes,
ice cream, sucrose, bananas
High GI: white bread, most white rice,
corn flakes, most breakfast cereals
(unless labelled otherwise), pretzels,
bagels, maltose, maltodextrins

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A low GI food will release glucose more slowly and steadily
so that for both non-diabetic and diabetic, this is just what
is needed.
A high GI food causes rapid rise in blood sugar. One who
exercises or is experiencing a low blood sugar crisis
“hypoglycemia” may need this quicker sugar boost.

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IT’S IN THE WATER…
WHY CAN’T WE DRINK PLAIN WATER ANYMORE??
ANSWER: IT’S BORING
REALITY: WE SHOULD DRINK NOTHING ELSE FOR BETTER
HEALTH

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Flavoring of water is a very serious problem.
Here is a perfect example of the adding of sugar to drink that creates
a vicious cycle of taking in the sweetness and wanting more of it so
more of it is taken!
It is bad enough that we have soda, juices and other beverages that
contain so much added sugar. Now, adding more sugar to plain water
has been in fashion and unlikely to fade out anytime soon. Whether it
is so called “natural” or artificial flavoring, it does one no good to
have it in the first place.
How about these statistics…

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The average American consumes about 22 teaspoons (355
calories) of sugar a day.
More than ½ of all Americans consume ½ POUND of sugar a day-.
This equals 180 pounds a year!!!
In 1700, the average person had about 4 pounds of sugar/yr.,
tripling to 18 per yr in 1800 and rising to 90 pounds per year in by
1900.
In late 1800, less than 3 cases per 100,000 people had diabetes.
Now, more than 8,000 per 100,000 have it and that does not
include all those who do not even know they have it.

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READ LABELS
…to know what is in the food or drink.
If you do not do this, you are playing Russian roulette with your life.
Know that sugar comes in many ALIASES and these are listed as the “added
sugars” on all processed foods. Any or more than one of these will be found
on many, many food items:
Cane juice or syrup, dextrose, fructose, fruit juice concentrates, glucose,
granulated, confectioners’ sugar, high fructose corn syrup, honey, invert sugar
(this makes things smoother, creamier and is a baker’s love, by the way),
lactose, maltose, malt syrup, molasses, raw sugar, sucrose, syrup

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It is a sad but true fact: sugar is causing our children major health
breakdown. Not only is the sugar in drinks and other processed foods
excessive, it is addictive to the point where parents are unable to cope
with the onslaught from infancy on.
It starts with infant formulas.
MOST commercially processed INFANT FORMULAS have sugar that the
FDA does NOT REQUIRE THE MANUFACTURERS TO LIST ON THEIR LABELS.
Most manufacturers claim that they only use lactose (milk sugar) in their
products.
When you see “corn syrup solids” on the label, guess what? And, sucrose is
in there as well, despite what you may think!!
CHILDHOOD TURNS INTO ADULTHOOD

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It is estimated that there is about 4 grams per 5 ounces of an average formula
that equals about 1 teaspoon of sugar.
Children become used to sugar early on and with all the TREATS handed to
them, how do you stop the desire and the rejection of those YUKKY healthy
foods???????????????????????????????????????
The seeds for disease are sown…
Tooth decay, hyperactivity and behavioral problems, obesity, mental
slowness, heart problems, cancer and diabetes are all beginning early on.
In 2004 it was shown that HYPERTENSION among children is 4 times higher
than predicted.
Obesity is a contributing factor and sugary drinks are at the top of the list with
processed food for this damage.
Adolescents with hypertension have HIGH URIC ACID levels (see below on uric
acid). This is not good news for anyone.

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Keep these number in mind:
1 teaspoon of sugar=4 grams of it
1 gram of sugar = 4 calories
So, a food or drink that contains 40 grams of sugar has 10 teaspoons of it
with 160 calories worth.
And, when you read a food label, note the carbohydrate and sugar part.
If the TOTAL CARB number = TOTAL SUGAR number, the product is a
SIMPLE, FAST, PROCESSED SUGAR. If, however, the Total carb # is higher
or much higher than the sugar total, the product has a mixture of
complex and simple sugars. Your goal is to choose a product with the
LEAST AMOUNT OF “SUGAR” grams.
HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH????

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>>CARBOHYDRATES should be in range of 45-65% of total daily calories.
Now, we must take PHYSICAL ACTIVITY levels into the picture…
1) Sedentary persons will need the least amount of carbs. The average non-
exercising woman age 50+, e.g. will require about 1,600 calories and 180-
250 grams of carbs, daily.
2) Moderate exercisers, i.e. those who exercise at least 150 minutes a week,
can use a bit more (up to about 300grams)
3) Active and very active, i.e. those who exercise in their work and personal
lives such as trainers, athletes and agricultural workers, can ingest even
more (up to about 350 grams)
Note: all those seeking weight loss will require the burning of 500 calories more
than daily consumption for the reduction of 1 pound of body fat per week.
The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends:

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On CARB COUNTING>>> To get a total of your net carb intake, subtract the fiber on a
label from the total carb in a serving and you will have your carb count. Fiber is seen
under “carbohydrate” listing on a label.
The AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION recommends that:
NO MORE THAN ½ OF YOUR EXTRA (DISCRETIONARY) CALOREIS COME FROM ADDED
SUGAR.
What does this translate to??...
WOMEN: no more than 6 teaspoons of added sugar (100 calories) daily; equivalent to
½ cup of ice cream or ½ can (about 6 ounces) non-diet soda.
MEN: no more than 9 tsp; equiv. to 12 ounce can of non-diet soda
Beware: a 12 ounce can of soda can contain 8 or more teaspoons of sugar!
*RECOMMENDATION HERE: CLEAN WATER WITH A SQUEEZE OF LEMON!! This will
never hurt your body unless you take in gallons a day!!!!!

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>Also, limit or eliminate candy, sweets and baked goods
>CHOOSE heart and body healthy foods: fruits, veggies, nuts,
seeds.
>Stop eating processed foods!
>Use less sugar or a natural sweetener like stevia leaf extract or
xylitol in small amounts if you want the sweet flavor of a
dish/drink.
BOTTOM LINE: More than 1 twelve ounce can of soda=too much

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DON’T LET IT GO TO WAIST!!!
Your waistline can tell a very big story…
Your waist to hip ratio should be: <0.8 for
females; <1 for males.
If you are higher than above numbers, you are at increased health
risks due to your fat distribution.
ABDOMINAL OBESITY is defined by WHO as: above 0.85 for females
and above 0.90 for males
How to measure? Take a measuring tape to 1 inch above the navel
and then the widest part of the hip. The waist is divided by the hip in
inches or centimeters.

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Studies have indicated that
WHR is a better indicator of
heart disease and diabetes
risks AND if we use this in lieu
of BMI (body mass index),
there would be far more
people on record who would
be at high risk!!!!!
Also, the “pear” is better than
the “apple”!! But, keeping
that BODY FAT content down
is key to healthy living.

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HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP….WHAT IS ABOUT???
This is a very commonly added sugar and it contains 55% fructose
and 45 % glucose.
This is NOT sucrose or table sugar. It is derived from CORN and in
this country, 90 % of corn is GENETICALLY MODIFIED.
The processing of corn syrup is taken a few steps further to create
even MORE syrup through special enzymatic action. The product
turns out even SWEETER in taste! The result is HUGE AMOUNTS
OF HFCS that is cheap and tasty, therefore desirable by food
companies.

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Here is the problem:
1) We do not metabolize this fructose as we do glucose. Glucose is normally used
quickly after ingestion but fructose is not.
2) The liver receives fructose very quickly and it turns this into a stored form which is
FAT.
3) People have been consuming this product in “unacceptable” levels since the 1970’s,
especially in the past decade.
4) It increases uric acid levels in the body that is responsible for:
a) >High blood pressure by decreasing nitric oxide
b) >increasing appetite with elevations of ghrelin, a natural appetite suppressant
c) >rapid weight gain and upping the triglycerides, bad LDL and blood sugar
d) >gout
Recent studies: glucose ENHANCES fructose absorption that makes the problem more
complicated.
Bottom line: AVOID IT LIKE THE PLAGUE

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 Suppress the immune system that is a set
up for infections and cancer
 Upset mineral balance
 contribute to hyperactivity, anxiety,
depression, concentration difficulties and
crankiness in children
 cause kidney damage
 lead to copper and chromium deficiencies
 accelerate aging by its “glycation” end
products
 lead to elevation in triglycerides and “bad”
LDL particles
 contribute to osteoporosis
 contribute to eczema in children
 cause toxemia in pregnancy
 cause free radical formation in blood
 increase platelet stickiness that leads to
blood clots and strokes
 lead to hormonal imbalances
 cause headaches
 cause hypertension
 increase the amount of fat in the liver
 increase risk for bowel diseases like
Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis to name a
few
DIABETES IS NOT THE ONLY PROBLEM
Let’s see what sugar can do to your health:

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THE HEART AND BLOOD VESSELS IN DANGER
Research from the CDC: There is a DIRECT relationship between
refined carbohydrates and the risk of dying from a heart attack.
>Consumption of 10-15% of added sugar caused a 30% higher
chance of death from a heart attack compared with less than 10%
intake.
A 12 ounce can of SODA can put you in high risk right off the bat!!
Then, adding some cake, candy, ice cream, some ketchup and bread
and you essentially are a time bomb.

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ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE,THE BRAIN AND SUGAR
While we rely on complex carbs for our “natural” source of food for the brain,
we surely do not need any added sugar or sweeteners.
Let’s see what research has found…
There is STRONG correlation of sugar with ALHEIMER’S disease (AD).
>NOTE: Billions of dollars have been spent on drugs that really do not work for
this devastating disease that is even more prevalent today than ever. NO
treatments have been proven to halt or reverse this disease.
It appears that from autopsy examinations, more than 30% of older adults
have “Alzheimer plaques” but are healthy. The theory that these plaques are
CAUSATIVE is now questionable.

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“TYPE 3” DIABETES….is what researchers are calling AD.
Researchers at Brown Medical School in Maine are finding that
the brain is not responding normally to insulin signals in AD. It has
been found that insulin receptors (that bring glucose into cells)
were 80% less effective/active than those of normal brain
function.
Currently, more than 5million Americans have AD and another
person is diagnosed every few minutes!! A half million die of the
disease and over 15 million caregivers dedicate their time and
energy to those who need help.

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ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS ARE NO BETTER
This is a very complicated subject but here is where we will just
get right to the point about these damaging chemicals that are
sneaked into our food supply on a constant basis.
The following are the most commonly used “artificial”
sweeteners that will be found in ALL LABELS THAT SAY “DIET”,
“SUGAR-FREE”, “ZERO” OR “LOW FAT”:

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1) Sucralose (Splenda, yellow packets)- looks all the world like “sucrose” but is
absolutely not sucrose. Chlorine and formaldehyde are used to process this
chemical that was found “by accident” in a chemical plant. Avoid it.
2) Aspartame (Nutrasweet, Equal, blue packets). This is coming from genetically
modified bacteria that are forced to make an end product that has been
associated with neurological disorders, namely seizures. In lab animals, it caused
“holes in the brain”, tumors in all major organs and sexual dysfunction.
3) Acesulfame. Another product not unlike above which is a newer addition (1988).
See it combined with above 2 items in most gums, candies and other highly
processed carbohydrates.
4) Saccharin. Another item found “by accident” in the late 1800s. It is a chemical
that can cause many metabolic disturbances.

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These are some of the main added artificial, non-nutritive, potentially health
damaging chemicals that should be avoided by al human beings. The most
vulnerable are the children, who have and will continue to manifest
considerable health derangements over their lives, should they continue to
ingest these products.
These products do not help diabetes or obesity. They promote more of it and
this is becoming more obvious with time.
>>>>PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS, AUNTS, UNCLES AND SIBLINGS BEWARE and
ALERT. Please help in the effort to stop the use of these products by children
and that means boycotting the products and their companies. It also means
stepping up, speaking out, writing and taking action to change what has been
set in motion.
RECOMMENDATION: use only natural sweeteners like stevia or xylitol and in
moderation. Raw honey is ok to add to good quality foods if kept in reasonable
low amounts. Processed honey and agave are very high in sugar and are not
recommended.

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Are you an ADDICT? You can tell that you are hooked
onto sugar if it is the only item you want. Simple
sugars have a tendency to cause increase in the drive
to desire more and to get it no matter the
consequences in most individuals.
What to do?
THE ADDICTION NEEDS TO END

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1) DISCARD ALL THE SIMPLE, PROCESSED SUGARS FROM YOUR PANTRY OR CUPBOARD
2) You need to review the data and educate yourself on all the dangers inherent in the
food system in this country.
3) If you suffer with a mental health condition such as depression or anxiety, you need
help. This must be recognized in order to rehabilitate yourself from a sugar habit or
addiction.
4) If you are a recovering alcoholic, sugar is the item you crave. Get help for this.
5) Smokers need to realize that this addiction is conducive to sugar addiction and the
two spell DAMAGE to the brain/body.
6) Think “healthy” for a change
7) Shop on the periphery of your grocery store and do not go to the aisles where the
junk is sitting.
8) Consult a friend, counselor, nutritionist or doctor to help in the process
9) Support groups are available

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WHERE ARE WE GOING WITH THE SUGAR PROBLEMS??
The statistics are nothing less than alarming and portend very bleak
outcomes for our future if we do not change the way we use or abuse sugar.
It all starts with the taste that has not changed since ancient times. Until the
18th century, sugar was a “luxury” in the world and only the wealthy could
afford it.
By the 19th century, PROCESSED SUGAR was regarded as a “human
necessity”.
Over 175, 000 metric tons of the “table sugar stuff” was manufactured in
2013.

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There are 382 million people afflicted with DM globally which is
expected to reach 600 million in 15 years time.
If you have DM, beware of the future…stop and control yourself.
In 2006, Alzheimer’s disease affected 26.6 million people
worldwide. By 2050 this will quadruple and more than 50 million of
those will need a nursing home.
We need to stop, look at ourselves and change now

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REFERENCES & RECOMMENDED READING
1) Bowden, J. and Sinatra, S, MD. The Great Cholesterol Myth.
Fair Winds Press, USA, 2012.
2) Drugs, Jan 2012 1;72 (1) pp 49-66
3) Duffy, W. The Sugar Blues. Grand Central Life and Style, USA,
1986
4) Journal of Diabetic Science Technology, Nov. 2008; 2(6) pp
1101-1113
5) http://www.usnews.com/how and why to rid sugar from
your diet
6) Lustig, R. Fat Chance: The Bitter Truth About Sugar. Kindle Ed.
The Fourth Estate, USA, 2012.
7) Williams, D. Dr. How Sugar Destroys Your Heart and Brain.
Vol. 17; 8. Mountain Home Publishing, MD, Aug. 2014.