White Christmas Research Paper

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.

The number of overweight people in the United States has placed the United States twenty-seventh in a ranking of the countries with the most prevalent case of an obesity epidemic. In the United States, “two out of three adults and one of three children are overweight or obese (_____). Researchers have seen the overall rate of obesity increases with the influx of advertisements showcasing unhealthy products, such as sugary drinks. Sugary drinks are “silent killers” that cause many fatalities, and health concerns for the consumer due to the deleterious ingredients they contain. A health study at Tufts University revealed that sugar drinks cause about 100 deaths per day and about 184, 000 deaths per year (____). The American Heart

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).”

Thesis: Overall, recent studies have shown that sugar substitutes isn’t and can cause potential health problems.

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

Sugar can turn your liver into scar tissue if you have too much. Sugar can also lead to obesity. You can put yourself at risk of a heart disease, diabetes and mood swings and so much more. Dr. Robert Lusting (2014) claims sugar is ''poison'' for the human body. California students eat 160 fewer calories a day than other students in other states because we have labels on fast food menus (Brownnell, 2011). "The California Senate recently passed a bill designed to do just that, and it may soon become a law (Lloyd, 2014, p. 18). Americans deserve the right to know what can make them

In an article written by Julie Corliss, medical writer at Harvard Health Publications, she addresses Americans unhealthy sugar intake, “Added sugars make up at least 10% of the calories the average American eats in a day. But about one in 10 people get a whopping one-quarter or more of their calories from added sugar” (Corliss). Sugar not only leads to weight gain, but also increases the chance of suffering from heart disease. Moving away from artificial and processed foods will help Americans lose weight and start towards a healthy lifestyle. If the body is consistently treated poorly, this will reflect in the mirror and on the scale.

Now let's talk about sugar. It’s in just about everything we eat. On average the american citizen consumes 19.5 teaspoons per day, that adds up 66 pounds per year, for one person! That is a clear display of our addiction to sugar as human beings. Studies have shown that through brain scans it has been found that sugar affects the brain similarly to the way certain drugs do. In an article I read called “Sugar is a ‘Drug’ and Here’s How We’re Hooked” the author explained how studies supported that sugar consumption can lead to neurochemical and behavioral transformations that resembles substance abuse. The dangers of sugar have gotten so serious that research released by the American Heart Association shows that there are about 180,000 deaths

Sugar is, and has always been, unavoidable; conversely, sugar has not always been toxic. Naturally abundant and technically enhanced, this substance has followed in the footsteps of tobacco and alcohol, becoming just as unhealthy and ultimately lethal. And, without the implementation of government

The U.S. government is playing a key role in curbing America’s sugar consumption. This was initially created through a new version of our dietary guidelines. Dietary guidelines are created through the USDA to help guide food choices and encourage healthier foods. What was once a pyramid has now turned into a plate, a resource called MyPlate. It provides a visual (pictured below) and an interactive website with daily food-intake values and tips. This has helped American’s with their eating habits but some areas but has also pinpointed areas that need to be more addressed… such as sugar. In fact, poor diet is responsible for more disease than other lifestyle choices.

I'm glad to know that you like my gifts. I hope the notepad I gave you will help you be more organizing. Here at Texas A&M we have quite a lot of traditions and it’s impressed me to know that you learn several of our traditions only on your first visit.

Will we ever know about the dangers behind the sweets? A study publicizes the toxic result of the sugar we consume. This article about the dangers of sugar written by Cameron Keady, has the description of the true study and how it will affect people’s health later on. The fact-based article is a genuine way to inform individuals about the dangers behind the desserts we’re eating.

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)

As we continue through the 21st century we notice the increasingly alarming rates of Obesity in the Unites States. The new foods on the market we eat trying to get back into that size 6 we were in high school not only provide a healthy advertisement but a secret little demon within. In the documentation " The Sugar Film" directed and produced by Damon Gameau shows us the journey of a man who takes the new and improved healthy food we eat every day trying to lose those extra pounds and reveals to the world the unbelievable truth. May the food we believe was healthy be the reason we can't lose those unwanted inches?