الانتحار بالسكر

by Nancy Appleton, G.N. Jacobs, سلمى بيطار (Translator)

السكر الحلو الطعم مادة خطيرة جداً تؤدي الى الإدمان ومع ذلك ليس ممنوعاً وتعاطيه ليس ضد القانون.
في الماضي كان يقال إنه لا يسبب سوى تسوس الأسنان وزيادة الوزن، لكن ثبت اليوم أنه يرتبط بأمراض خطيرة بما فيها السرطان، والخرف، والسكري، والبدانة المرضية، وارتفاع ضغط الدم، وأمراض القلب والشرايين.
هذه االبودرة البيضاء تجعل كيمياء الجسم تتشوّش، ذلك أن السكر يختبئ في أماكن لا نشكك بها وتبدو لنا بريئة لا بل صحية.

. كوب من عصير التفاح غير المحلّى = 7 ملاعق سكر
.كوب من عصير الليمون الجاهز = 6 ملاعق سكر
.كوب من الكولا = 9 ملاعقسكر
.28 غ من الكاجو = 1/2 ملعقة سكر
. كوب من مكعبات البطيخ الأحمر = ملعقة سكر
.لوح كورنفلكس = 9 ملاعق سكر

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Nutrition, Food, Self Help, Diets

270 pages, Paperback

First published October 15, 2008

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 1 out of 5]

The writing style detracts from the important message of how a high sugar diet harms your health. The book is scattered, disorganized and often redundant. Scare tactics without adequate citations are sometimes used to get her point across. Lazy leaps of logic are annoying, such as linking eating chocolate to bulemia in one paragraph. Or later, when she writes that studies show conflicting results re: links between sugar consumption and children's emotional states, she asks us to rely on our gut when reading about anecdotal evidence. She frequently glosses over the differences between causation and correlation. Finally, I feel strange reading a book where the author repeatedly recommends buying one of her homeostasis test kits with an order form conveniently appended at the end of the book.

I'm convinced I should follow a low sugar diet but my conclusion comes from other reading, not from this book.

[Ghufran Alhawaj · Rating 5 out of 5]

آخر جملة خُتم بها الكتاب: (الصحة أم المرض؟ الاختيار لكم) . و حتماً أنا اختار الصحة

[صفا · Rating 3 out of 5]

" إذا كان السكر يحدث ثقوبا في النسج القاسي من أجسامنا (أسناننا) فماذا تراه يفعل في النسج الطري من أجسامنا ؟! "
حقيقة كلنا بحاجة إلي توعية بشأن الإفراط في تناول السكريات ،لا أعلم إن كان في هذا الكتاب مبالغة ولكن ستجد فيه أن السكر (السم الأبيض كما أطلق عليه )المسبب لأمراض القلب و السكري و السرطان والصرع ،الخرف أمراض البدانة القلق والاكتئاب ! والكثيرررر الكثير من الأمراض وبالتالي المؤدي إلى الموت .
بالتأكيد سيكون عندك بعد قراءته نفور من هذا المجرم المرعب كما وصف بين دفتي هذا الكتاب و ستقلل من إسرافك في أكل الشوكولا والبان كيك والكوكاكولا و العصائر المحلاة ، العودة للطبيعة البكر لحياة القرى و الطعام الصحي البسيط بعيدا عن اكل المدن والوجبات السريعة سيكون الفارق بين صحتك و مرضك و الخيار لك .

[Lynne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave this 3.5 Stars

About: "A Startling look at our #1 National Addiction" and "why our sweet tooth may be killing us"

Did you know that...1) The average person consumes 23 teaspoons of added sugar every day, which is 460 calories that supply no additional nutrients and upset the body's chemistry? 2) There are 10 teaspoons of sugar in a 12-ounce soda? 3) Sugar can lead to ovarian cancer and alcoholism and can cause varicose veins and juvenile delinquency, among 136 other cancers and diagnoses listed by the author.

Overall: It was eye-opening but just okay. Too scientific at times. I skipped to the parts I was interested in.

Liked...The inside scoop (hehe) on sugar and the awareness I gained as to the amount of sugar I eat and what it does to me. I'm hypoglycemic and shouldn't eat sugar anyway, but I love gummy worms, Skittles and ice cream. According to the book, I'm addicted and need a 12-step program (yes, they really have them for sugar addicts). My new found awareness is keeping my candy-loving self in check, but I will not give up my occasional glass of wine or my caffeine every morning as recommended by the author. Man, this book is hard core.

Didn't like...how scientific and extreme the book is in it's advice to avoid sugar. Give up ketchup? Uh...not going to happen.

Source: Library

Why I chose: Hi, I'm Lynne and I'm an addict.

Recommend? Yes if you have a problem with sugar addiction, want to lose weight (because there really are only empty calories in sugar), or you are curious to know what sugar does to the body. It's not pretty.

Rating: 3.5 / 5

Addendum: Since reading the book a few days ago, I took the time to read food labels at the grocery store, and WOW. It's amazing how much sugar is added to food. Some yogurts have as much as 25 grams of sugar, which is a little over 6 teaspoons. I couldn't find any yogurt that had under 10 grams of sugar (2 1/2 teaspoons). Aaaaand I've lost two pounds since watching my sugar intake. That's worth half a star :)

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book confirmed scientifically what I already suspected: too much sugar is bad for me. Sugar makes us more susceptible to illnesses and makes it harder for our bodies to heal. The author links sugar to the normal diseases like diabetes, hypoglycemia, and obesity, and also to dementia, cancer, and metabolic syndrome. Her claim is that sugar turns the body acidic, which knocks it out of homeostasis, which is bad because our bodies like to be in homeostasis. Oh, and sugar is addictive (which I kind of already suspected).

The book was awkwardly written in many places, to the point where it bugged me. The author clearly isn't an...author. At least not normally. The science seemed sound, although sometimes I thought she made conclusions that were outside the scope of the study. I have no doubt that Big Sugar is currently hiring its own set of scientists to refute all her claims.

Now I just need to read a book about willpower.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most anyone who knows me knows I have a huge passion/obsession with all things healthy. So much so that it's hard for me not to get swept away in some of the nutritional hype of new products. Lately I've been trying to focus my energies on a certain old product that I am beginning to think has wreaked havoc on America's health...sugar. I love the stuff, but would love to lessen the amount of it I consume. (And yes, I'm focusing just on me right now and hoping it trickles down to my kids through osmosis or something.) The AHA recommends we women eat no more than 25 grams of added sugar a day, about 100 calories. Yet most of us are consuming over three times this much. After reading this book and counting my grams of added sugars for a few days, I can see how easily it is to go overboard on the stuff. It's in our bread, crackers, pasta sauce, some vitamins, toothpaste, etc., not to mention all the daily "treats" we Americans eat. I greatly admire health advocates like Nancy Appleton who can successfully limit the foods/substances that they know do them more harm than good, who can say "no thanks" to cheesecake and chocolate and mocha frappes. It's my goal in life to be more like them. So, if I could just go live in isolation for a few months, I may be able to break my own sugar addiction. Until then, I'll just keep doing my personal best and reading inspiring books like this one to keep me somewhat in line :)

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Just a sweet tooth or sugar addiction?".
Sugar is linked to cancer, epilepsy, dementia and hypoglycemia. It gives you 140 reasons why sugar is ruining your health.
Ensure contains 40 grams of sugar and pediasure for babies contains 31 grams of sugar!!!!
Includes recipes and tips for healthy living

[Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's good to remind myself the reasons to avoid sugar, however, this book was lacking in many areas. First, the authors cite many studies, but then make wild claims without anything to back it up. If this is supposed to be a scientific look at sugar intake, it lacked in providing evidence (that I know exist because I read a few other books on sugar). Just one example (and the book is laden with them), on page 74: "...[O]bese people have been known to underreport their food and sugar intake." From where was that information taken? We don't know because it's not cited and sounds incredibly prejudiced. There are other instances where the authors choose to use pejorative language over neutral, scientific language. For example when they compare "active" people to "lazy" people.

I'd say don't waste your time reading this abrasively-toned book and read "The Case Against Sugar" by Gary Taubes instead.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read, and very convincing. The author makes a very long list of illnesses that sugar consumption contributes to, however the books does not go into detail to back up all of those. It only gives details about a few of them. I think it was trying not to be too scientific so that it would appeal to all readers. But still makes some compelling arguments. I think the real proof is in trying to eat little to no sugar, which I had already started doing. I feel so much better since cutting sugar out of my diet, that that is probably all the proof I need. I read the book to sort of encourage myself to keep going with that. I also wish it had included more statistics... surely there are studies out there, some of us just need a lot of convincing.

[Kate McKinney · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is not very well-written, especially for a PhD author. There was a lot of awkward phrasing (ie; "Many times our heads get their way, getting in the way of our bodies getting & feeling well.") & incorrect usage (ie; "sugar's affect on body chemistry.." [should be "effect"]). The basic message of the book is correct (sugar is overused & bad for health); however the delivery is flawed enough that it discourages the reader from completely absorbing the core takeaways. Wish the author would have worked a little harder on finessing her presentation; it was less than professional & undermined the book's credibility.

[Olivia Jaymes-Wiersema · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was recommended in my own personal research on the subject and it was the least helpful read. The author seems to believe she knows all and is very judgemental of any other opinions, medical testing and even cooked food. I expected some jargon , but the delivery was , to me, a lot of "sugar addict" shaming.

[Tianna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was hoping to feel more motivated to quit my sugar habit after reading this, but the book is written like a long rant where the author just throws facts at you. It was not an enjoyable read, I couldn’t even finish it, and I’ve read school textbooks more engaging than this.

[Sharon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some good information but you have the search through the mess of writing to find it.

[Lee L · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title says it all. The authors give plenty of reasons -- with facts to back them up -- as to why you should quit sugar. We just all need to take it to heart.

[Carey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Scary stuff

An eye opening and easy read. If you are afraid of getting Alzheimer’s, I suggest giving it a good look.

[Gwendoline Van · Rating 3 out of 5]

Over the years, sugar's gotten quite bad press, and Appleton brings it together in her book for a convincing look at why this relatively modern ingredient really has us all worse off. As someone who overcame nicotine addiction, my sweettooth eerily resembles the cravings and detoxes I experienced before, and oh, alas, it's because we become chemically dependent on sugar to fix its own ravages within our dependent bodies.

The sugar fiend is a real one: Apparently, all our bodies can biologically handle is 2 tsp of sugar a day, not per serving, before plummeting into biochemical imbalance, paving the way for greater suffering in the form of obesity, cancer, epilepsy, and more. Sugar may be sweet, but per Appleton, it's far from kids' play: This substance is lethal and addictive, and frankly, knowing what we know today, it's criminal how pervasive and prevalent it is.

"When we eat sugar, our bodies can only respond in one way. They must adjust and try to rebalance themselves after each sugary insult. This balancing act pulls minerals from the body where they are needed and messed up body chemistry, eventually making us sick. Considering the amount of sugar we eat, our bodies do not have the digestive mechanisms to handle the glut of sugar that we consume on a daily basis. We create our own illnesses with every sugary treat we consume and every angry thought we experience." (p. 26-7)


"Healthy Eating Habits:
- Ask yourself, "Will this affect my body chemistry?
- Chew each bite twenty times.
- Consume portions that are digestible to you.
- Don't overcook your food.
- Don't wash food down with liquids--swallow, then drink.
- If emotionally upset or disturbed, eat smaller portions and chew longer--better yet, wait to eat.
- Split your plate evenly between cooked and raw foods." (p. 118 - 119)

[Melanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is one of those books I muddled through just to make sure it never got any better than first impressions indicated. It didn't. She's another one of those quacks that writes for a seventh-grade audience. It's true that refined sugars are harmful, but her suggestions for alternatives are things like rice and white/sweet potatoes.

The book is a mess and hard to follow, and the layout artist stuck the inset columns in some inconvenient places. There are also a lot of journal citations, but the only one I found intriguing enough to try and look up came from a Chinese journal. How convenient.

She has a huge vendetta against pop, juice, and Ensure, and agave nectar, apparently, even though (according to her) it doesn't impact your blood glucose levels. Neither do potatoes (according to her) if they're consumed with fat and/or protein. From my own personal experience with blood sugar monitoring, I'm not sure that her theories are even accurate. Luckily, since her writing is overall fairly incomprehensible, I doubt many people are ardently taking her advice.

She mentions mineral levels and mineral balance in the body, but never in great detail how they work together. She also claims that sugar causes cancer, that not eating sugar and having a positive attitude will cure cancer, and also that sugar causes epilepsy.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed reviews about this book. While I do agree with the fact that sugar is bad for us, I think this book was a bit outdated. She still recommended low fat diets and using wheat products which I myself will not do. I've read way too many things about how wheat burns just as fast as sugar (and experience this as well) so what's the point really. Plus I think eating good fats is beneficial. Of course this is just my opinion ,but then this review is also my opinion. I was happy though to find some sugar free desserts. So many desserts that claim to be sugar free are loaded with sugar substitutes which I will not eat. I am excited to try these out.

[Mylinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think the reason I just gave this book 3 stars is because I have done so much reading recently on the matter of processed foods and sugar. So the information presented here was not all that new. However, I did enjoy the author's matter-of-fact presentation and her list of 140 ways sugar (this includes all forms of sweeteners) damages our health. Many of these I had not even considered. Overall, a good read (and not too lengthy that I wondered if it would ever end) and a lot of valuable information. I especially like the title of the book. It looks good in my bookcase.

[Rhea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wasn't great, wasn't terrible. There was a lot of time spent on soda, chocolate, and those ensure drinks and how terrible they are for you, but then it was stated several times that its okay to put up with the sugar in ketchup, which I found rather odd. Couldn't you just stop eating ketchup like you should stop drinking soda? I really was looking for more of an overall picture of how sugar is in almost everything. I did gain some knowledge and it did provide some paths towards other information I want to find.

[Christina · Rating 2 out of 5]

I totally agree with cutting sugar, but I don't think this is the best resource to transition to a sugar-free diet. I feel like the author was was using scare tactics to frighten someone into changing their diet. Also, there aren't a lot of ideas for practical application. There are a few recipes. To be fair, I mostly skimmed the book. If you want to cut sugar from your life, I would recommend The Sugar Addict's Total Recovery Program instead.

[Barbara (The Bibliophage) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have avoided reading this book for a few years. The whole idea of giving up sugar displeased my "moderation" brain. Now I find that NOT giving up sugar will be damaging to my waistline, overall well-being and definitely my brain. The author makes her case both passionately and with plenty of research. Be sure to read the 140 health hazards of sugar. They will shock you!

[Vi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book details how eating too much refined sugar knocks our bodies out of balance and create an acidic environment in our bodies. This acidic environment leads to diabetes, heard problems, attention deficit, cancer, etc.

The book is written in conversational tone and leaves a lot of questions unanswered.

[I_love_a_happily_ever_after · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short, to the point, and painfully accurate. If you think a little here and there is fine, or just using in moderation is OK, think again. Read this book and it will set the record straight. I HIGHLY reccomend reading this for yourself, your family, your mailman...whoever you think it would benifit.

[Lani · Rating 3 out of 5]

I know sugar is bad for me so this book didn't reveal too much new information for me but it did inspire me to change my eating habits. The thorough explanations of how our bodies process sugar was interesting and helpful. It is definitely a book worth reading if you want to change your eating habits and fight the sugar addiction.

[Jennifer Belaire · Rating 3 out of 5]

If half of what is said in this book is true about sugar we should all feel ashamed that we include it with any meal. While a big part of reading this was to change my own diet it made me think of my father as well when it talked about sugar feeding abnormal cancer cells.

[Carissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It's a fast read and it's stuff we already know or should know, but it's great to remind us of the dangers of sugar. I am a sugar addict and I have not even wanted sugar since finishing this book.

[Scott Birk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scary to read what sugar does to our bodies. Since I cut almost all sugar from my diet a couple of months ago, I've lost 35 pounds. There must be something to this idea that sugar is bad for us... at least it was for me.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy read though not that clearly written. I want to eliminate sugar so picked this up from the library. From the book i learned that Sugar wrecks the body's homeostasis and blocks immune system. She used butter and heavy cream in her sugar-free recipes. Won't that clog arteries?

[Jordan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Long book with lot's of data to support a pretty obvious conclusion. Worth reading if you have health problems or are wanting to arm yourself to educate others, others wise you'd probably be better off skimming the ocean of online articles about our nations sugar epidemic.