Heart Month, Valentines and Sweets

Chocolate-HeartsFebruary is American Heart Month, coinciding with the holiday of love- Valentine’s Day. And it happens that many will be giving their Valentine the gift of candy or other sweets. What irony. Last week a commentary from researchers from the University of California of San Francisco blasted sugar as toxic and worthy of regulation alongside of alcohol and tobacco. The main author of the commentary, Robert Lustig has been a vocal and harsh critic of added sugar in our diets. This issue is not new; sugar has been a topic of controversy for many years. Still, our consumption continues to increase. According to the U.S.D.A, Americans consume about 90 pounds of sugar per person per year-a figure that has nearly tripled over the past two or three decades. This increase corresponds with the obesity epidemic which is naturally tied to diabetes, and yes, heart disease-the number one killer of both men and women.

Conventional thinking says that the main problem with sugar is that it represents empty calories. But according to Lustig and others-not all calories are created equal. Sugar with its high content of fructose is metabolized in the liver unlike more natural sugars from things like fruit, rice and potatoes-which are metabolized by every cell in the body. This liver involvement has metabolic consequences-including storing the excess calories as fat, causing fatty liver and leading to insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome-now widely accepted as the biggest risk factor for both diabetes and heart disease. Lustig also ties sugar to dementia and cancer.

The discussion about sugar’s contribution to chronic disease is debated by experts and has a complex history. NY Times writer Gary Taube has done extensive research and writing on the topic and summarizes it beautifully in an article published in April 2011 in the NY Times Magazine entitled Is Sugar Toxic?


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I happen to be among those who believe excess added sugar in our diets is detrimental to health. And my concern is not new-ask my kids, when they were growing up sugar was not on the menu in our house. But before you call me the Grinch who stole Valentine’s Day-let me be clear. A little candy here or there is not really the problem. The main concern is the added sugars in so many foods. And the list is long-sauces, salad dressings, catsup, cereal, yogurt, salsa, crackers... The biggest culprits are soda and other high calorie drinks. 66% of sugar calories come from these added sources.

So, go ahead and enjoy some sweets with your sweetie. But do it in moderation-and read labels to try and reduce the added sugar you and your family consume. As you do-keep in mind that sugar comes in many forms, cane juice, corn syrup, fructose, to name of few. Moderation in this area can go a long way to better health-leading to weight loss, lower blood sugar levels and even lower triglycerides and LDL (or "bad") cholesterol. This will lead to a reduction in risk for heart disease.

Happy Valentine’s Day and American Heart Month-take care of your physical heart and your emotional heart!