Is sugar a poison? First things first

DEAR DR. ROACH

» My uncle, a retired surgeon, is

90 years old. I visit my uncle periodically to inquire about his health and well-being. He eats, but is a little weak. I suggested to my aunt, a retired obstetrician, to give him a nutritional supplement. I take one myself and found it to be effective if taken regularly. The one I recommended contains only 22 grams of total sugars. My aunt told me that according to a CNN medical correspondent, “Sugar is poison.”

I was flabbergasted to hear such an answer from her, a medical doctor! Care to change her mind with a comment about the importance of sugars in our daily lives as it pertains to our physiology and metabolism? My uncle is not a diabetic.

— S.F.

ANSWER » When you hear that something is a poison, there are two questions to ask: What is the toxicity, and what is the dose? From the standpoint of sugar, there is no longer any question that large amounts of added sugar increase the risk of heart disease and cancer.

Most experts look at sugars contained within foods such as whole fruits as having less negative health effect than added sugars, such as in a sugarsweetened beverage. However, the magnitude of the risk is small.

Sugar is not really necessary in the diet. The liver is capable of making all the sugar needed by the body if there are adequate amounts of protein and fat; however, the body converts the complex carbohydrates found in fruits and vegetables into sugar as well.

The best scientific data confirms that a diet high in fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains is a healthy diet, and also that keeping added sugars down is healthy.

However, the big picture really needs to be kept in mind.

A nutritional supplement for a person in his 90s who may not be eating well might indeed improve his energy level, and the benefit of an additional 5 teaspoons of sugar (about ½ a can of a regular soft drink) a day seems to me to be worth the small downside if it helps him.

Unlike a soft drink, nutritional supplements contain protein, healthy fats and other important micronutrients.

Contact Dr. Roach at ToYourGoodHealth@med. cornell.edu.

Keith Roach