How Candy Conquered America

I grew up playing the game “Candyland”, and I dreamed of finding the golden ticket and living in Willie Wonka’s factory. I was also given a Gatorade after every sporting event I ever played in so what could be so bad about sugar? Sugar, real and artificial, can be found in almost every product we consume and although sugar is a simple carbohydrate that the body uses for energy, its impact on our body is far from simple. The consumption of sugar has been linked to a host of chronic health problems, including obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. The addictive nature of sugar is also a significant problem that leads to the other detrimental effects listed above. Sugar has also been useful to help preserve goods, fuel fermentation, balance acidity, and add flavor to other foods. Whether it’s cereal, spaghetti sauce, or yogurt, sugar is everywhere and has become unavoidable in our daily diets. As Americans, we have become accustomed to the sweet addictive taste of sugar, and our dependence on excessive amounts of sugar in its different forms has become alarming to many health experts. In analyzing preference and dependency with sugar, I will trace the addictive nature and major risks sugar has placed on society.

The past fifty years has seen a spike in the consumption of sugar, that number totaling a tripling increase. However, sugar is not the only risk factor here, alcohol and tobacco can also be attributed with the spike, albeit not as prevalent as sugar. The biggest question that Lustig et al. poses to its’ readers is this: “What aspects of the Western diet should be the focus of intervention”? (par. 3) The current USDA has been deemed “boogeymen” of diets, as well as the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Lustig et al. all believe that our attention should be turned towards “added sugar”, which is a sweetener that has fructose in it. Perhaps the biggest controversy from the past fifty years has been none other than a severe culprit that experts know as high fructose corn syrup or HFCS.

Sugary beverages suggest a poor dietary quality; they are loaded with added sugars and attribute to the body’s energy density. “A 20-year study on 120,000 men and women found that people who increased their sugary drink consumption by one 12-ounce serving per day gained more weight over time—about 4 pounds per year” (19). Through increasing the daily intake in trivial increments, the body substantially results in an increased BMI (body mass index) and an increased body fat percentage score. Another study conducted at Harvard found that a 60 percent increase occurs in children for each 12-ounce they additionally drink daily. (________) The growing correlation between obesity and sugar has led to further studies, and statistical data. Researchers have revealed that in total, “half the people in the U.S. consume sugary drinks; 1 in 4 get at least 200 calories from such drinks; and 5% get at least 567 calories.” It was additionally found that one-fourth of Americans are consuming more than 135 grams of sugar per day from soda and other sweetened beverages, which compares to people of the past who only had 10 grams of fructose a day (_____). Such a high daily intake of sugar and calories illustrates the risk that arises when people consume too much sugar; that is, sugary drinks result in weight issues and medical consequences.

In the article "How Candy Conquered America by Lauren Tarshis" and the article “This Cupcake Is Trying to Hurt You by Kristin Lewis" they both talk about candy and how it became so popular and how it is unhealthy. In the first article it says "They removed the chemical flavorings and colors. Big mistake! Loyal customers were furious. sales dropped 35 percent, and the company decided to return to the original formula." (Tarshis 25). In the second article it says "New studies have linked high-sugar diets to a host of other terrifying diseases too--Diabetes, cancer, heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure, and stroke. Sugar may also contribute to depression, tiredness, and learning and memory issues (not so great on the day of a big test).”

One of the common disease in America caused by the excessive consumption of sugar is obesity. In America, the obesity rates had increased in the last decades and affects different on each person. The effects of sugar on people depends on the race, gender, and age of Americans. According to an

One in five children in America are obese. How is this possible? In Stephanie Soechtig’s documentary, “Fed Up” (2014), she brings awareness to a few of the causes of obesity and elaborates on the lack of effort people are putting in to end it. Food manufacturing corporations care only about strategic plans to put money in their pocket, not to help make America healthy. Obesity can be traced back to one main cause; sugar. The three things have been addressed through personal stories and physicians that support and increase sugar addictions of adolescents is the amount of added sugar in processed foods, junk food advertisements, and the lack of regulations relating to sugar. Sugar addiction is a real problem and is scientifically proven to be as addicting as cocaine.

Thesis As I said earlier high fructose corn syrup is commonly used for a cheaper sugar substitute. But government subtitles aren't the only price we are paying. Fructose corn syrup is much more fattening than sugar. Michael pollen states in omnivore's dilemma that “Kids in the us today may turn out to be the first group of Americans with life spans that are shorter than their parents.” This important because fructose corn syrup is part of that. If we keep eating the way we do things are not going to go well. Already “momently 17% of children and teenagers are obese in 2015b compared to 5% back in the 1970s”. If we keep eating way it could lead to debits heart problems and more food policies need to be change so there is not even a possibility of choosing colorful high fructose corn slurp over an apple

Long ago, sugar was a rarity as it was hard to obtain; however, it is a whole other story today. The World Health Organization recommends " 'consuming less than 10% of calories from added sugar.' " (Hellmich) However," adults in the USA in 2010 consumed about 15% of their daily calories... from sugar" (Hellmich) At this level of consumption, a significant part of the average Americans' diet composes of sugar-rich substances. "Major sources of added sugars... are sugar-sweetened beverages, desserts, fruit drinks, dairy desserts (ice cream) and candy." (Hellmich) For the usual breakfast, breakfast is washed down with a cup of fruit juice or orange juice. This cup already contains few to several teaspoons of sugar. It is quite difficult to find processed foods that does not contain

When most people think about sugar, their first thoughts are not: heart disease, addiction, or slow and painful death; yet, unfortunately, these conditions are very real consequences of the unregulated and excessive consumption of sugar. In Nature’s article, “The Toxic Truth About Sugar” (2012), Robert Lustig, pediatric endocrinologist; Laura Schmidt, Professor of Health Policy at UCSF; and Claire Brindis, Professor of Pediatrics and Health Policy at UCSF, evaluate the world’s ever-increasing and toxic struggle with the substance sugar – also discussing counter measures to promote healthier diets amongst American’s and other societies. Lustig and his colleagues develop their argument using statistical evidence as they address the global impact of sugar, refuting minor oppositions, before dissecting each harmful aspect of the substance – even comparing it to substances more known for their toxicity. Eventually, presenting readers with possible routes of regulation, the authors firmly suggest government intervention in the production and sale of sugary foods. Although the argument is well executed, I remain unconvinced that government intervention is actually necessary.

In order to make it clear, sugar without moderation is bad for which could lead to horrible health issues. This is not actually the truth because not all sugar is bad for a diet. We should be eating things which are better for us, but society does not like the representation of healthy eating. However, when people are presented with “healthy eating” they tend to see “work on this and that.” Society has gotten used to not caring about health issues and just accepts it.

In 1822 the average american consumed 45 grams of sugar in 5 days,but in 2012 the average american consumed 765 grams of sugar in 5 days. That's 3 pounds sugar per week and 3550 pounds of sugar in a lifetime.Which is roughly equivalent to ten strips of bacon.Sugar can cause liver disease cancer and depression

Researchers who are publishing in the Journalist of the American Medical Association’s Internal Medicine have found that Americans who consume the most sugar are twice as likely to die from a heart disease compared to those of us who limit our sugar intake to about 160 calories a day. That is about 10 teaspoons.’ (http://www.npr.org/2014/02/05/271873707/you-may-be-eating-more-sugar-than-you-realize-and-thats-bad) (citaat)

	Mintz contends that as sugar began to infiltrate the British diet, its popularity and demand began to increase. As the demand went up, so did the supply, causing

Sugar-sweetened beverages are one of the single largest added sugars in the American diet. The beverages like soft drinks, sodas, fruit drinks, sweetened coffees and teas, energy drinks, sports drinks, and sweetened waters are increasing as a whole. “In general, males consume more beverages than females, African Americans consume more fruit drinks and Caucasians drink more carbonated soft drinks. Children and adolescents derive 10% to 15% of their total calories from sugar-sweetened beverages (1).” According to the American Heart Association a 20-ounce bottle of soda contains 17 teaspoons of sugar but AHA recommends no more than five to nine teaspoons of added sugar per day to all the ages. These beverages increase appetite because of their

In recent years, sugary foods and drinks that people like to consume have become an