Recently, the sugar industry has been involved in controversies. For instance, one study finds that sugar feeds cancer cells. This is something opposite from what the sugar industry says. In another study, over-consumption of sugar can lead men to become depressed.
Moreover, another uncovered evidence has been found hidden by the sugar industry. In a recent study1 published in the Journal of PLOS Biology uncovered a non-published study funded by the sugar industry.
In this study called the Project 259 funded by the ISRF(International Sugar Research Foundation), scientists noted consumption of sucrose or table sugar is linked to cancer.
ISRF Terminated Project 259
The study started in the 1967 but the ISRF terminated it during 1970. Another disturbing discovery in the study is sucrose or table sugar causes hypertriglyceridemia. This is a condition often caused by diabetes, obesity, and inactivity or sedentary lifestyle.
In the report, they also found that table sugar somewhat disturbed the rats microbiome.
Observations showed significant increase in serum triglyceride level with rats having conventional [microbiota] on sucrose diets, whereas a decreasing effect was noted with germ-free rats, suggesting the triglycerides were formed from fatty acids produced in the small intestine by the fermentation of sucrose.
Moreover, the scientists who reviewed the unpublished study are uncertainty why the findings of Project 259 were not published. On the other hand, they think that led author of the study Dr. W.F.R. Pover was unable to find funds in order to complete the study.
The scientists who reviewed the unpublished study also think the results or findings of the Project 259 were unpublishable.
What Can We Do?
Some of you may get angry at the sugar industry, and it’s typically normal. Hiding the truth especially the findings that are health-related is somewhat injustice. However, that past is over.
There is nothing we can do about the past but take action on what we can do for the better. Science has been found that sugar is as addicted as cocaine2 3. On the other hand, we can do something by aiming to minimize table sugar consumption.
Instead of relying more on foods sold in supermarkets, try buying foods from the farmers’ market. Increasing your consumption of fruits and vegetables is one of the best way to minimize table sugar consumption.
The trick used by the sugar industry is the same trick used by the Tobacco industry. Regardless, however, giants are these industries, we, the consumers have the power to choose. If we choose to eat more whole foods, we have higher chances of avoiding over-consumption of added sugar.
Keep in mind, this is not the first controversy in which the sugar industry is involved. In 2016, one study revealed how the sugar industry paid scientists in the 1960s to play down the link between sugar and heart disease.
Instead, they divert the people’s attention to fat as the cause of heart disease. However, recent studies show that not all fats are created equal and there are truly known healthy fats.
