Griffin Johnston, 4th period, A year without processed sugar

            In an article on FoxNews.com Nicole Kwan reports on a family who survives one year without eating any processed sugar. The mom, inspired by a video by a University San Francisco pediatric endocrinologist that underscored the dangers of fructose on the body, called for her family of four (her husband, herself, and her two daughters) to go a year without eating any sugar. Eve Schaub, the mother, blogged about this time and stated that eating processed sugar causes the body to produce acids that lead to gout, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. The family initially implemented a rule that everyone could eat one sugary treat a month. However, they found after going so long without eating any sugar (except the natural sugars such as those in fruits and vegetables) the once a month sugary treats would give them headaches and stomach aches. The Schaubs also found that added processed sugar hid itself in a variety of unexpected location including bread (“only one out of the 250 varities of bread at their local supermarket did not have added sugar.”), fruit juice (that is, in addition to the good, natural sugars already in the fruit), tortillas, and sauces to name a few.

            A very important aspect to this families experiment was that they made sure to emphasize to their daughters and the people reading the blog (and later the book that the mom wrote) that this was not a weight-loss experiment in which the goal was to cut down eating and to eat “fat free foods.” The goal to “become skinny” is a major flaw in the thinking of most Americans concerning their eating habits. It is also very interesting to find how their bodies became repulsive to excessive amounts of rich dessert items after long periods of abstention. It shows that our bodies have not only gotten used to these food items rich in processed sugar, but also, that our bodies are not meant to consume processed sugar. This is not to say that one can never have a delectable treat. Indulgence is good but in moderation. As the article states, when describing the mother, “she finds herself satisfied after just a few bites.”

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/04/21/family-goes-for-year-without-sugar/