Day 49

Feeding the Geese

Fitting that I was in San Francisco today. Day 49 and home of the 49ers. No wonder it was such a magnificent day.

I met with two esteemed scientists on the subject of fructose and these are a few things I learnt:
Both glucose and fructose go to the liver but 90% of the glucose passes through to the body, only 7% of the fructose makes it through, the rest stays in the liver and if its not needed for energy, turns to fat.

All of the scientist’s patients tested (since 2005) showed huge rises in Uric acid levels which effects kidneys but also assists the liver in converting fructose to fat faster. Awesome. Also makes me think about our dear aboriginals and their ridiculous renal failure rates.

Fructose creates visceral fat (I am completely aware of this) which is dangerous as it hangs out around the organs and is different to just under the surface fat. (Often found around the upper thighs and buttocks)

We are being force fed high sugar diets in clever packages much like geese or ducks are fed to make foie gras (fatty liver). Many animal groups abhor this, yet we seem to let companies do this to our kids.

There is a large section of scientists being funded by the beverage industry, one scientist today called for more integrity in sugar research where sugar industry studies shouldn’t be allowed.

Our bodies simply aren’t evolved to deal with the ‘tsunami’ of sugary foods and drinks that are currently drowning us. This fructosean wave knocks out other key functions of the body that are ripple effects of the fructose consumption.

I saw the actual machine that measured sugar going in to humans and then revealed it in fat from the liver.

Large meta studies done (combined evidence) on sugar are often done by industry paid scientists and include the research they themselves have done. This greatly sways the argument and ends up making for ‘garbage’ science.

There are still many unknowns about the effects of sugar but enough to start action immediately to reduce it.

I also now have a pretty long list of responses the sugar industry may throw at this film. These scientists today have had a lot of practice and were happy to share some tips.

Turns out vanilla ice cream with Ice Magic is perfectly fine for the body and I should eat it regularly. Um?

Today made sense of many things that I am experiencing and was told to me with class, balance and pure integrity. These scientists were not afraid to say they weren’t sure of something yet and didn’t want to speculate. That was almost more telling than then science they were sharing. I am finding that integrity is a rare thing in this sugar caper.

Apple granola cereal, peach low fat yoghurt and an apple juice. Cop that liver! 24 teaspoons.

Yoghurt strawberry parfait for lunch and an ‘Honest’ tea. Get it? Lies. Yoghurt was 10 and tea only 3 and to their credit they didn’t lie, it said ‘only a tad sweet’ on the bottle.

Dinner delicious sushi and short ribs with BBQ sauce. 3 teaspoons.

Tomorrow is about scratching a little deeper below the surface. I am off to meet some people who spend their days looking at the machinations of the sugar industry. The ‘things learnt’ list continues to grow.

49 in 49er town and 40 touchdowns.