Article on America's Sugar Intake

Here's an article from today's New York Times about America's obsession with sugar. It goes pretty deep into the difference between corn syrup, fructose and sugar, and the politics around corn syrup. More importantly, it touches briefly on why too much sugar isn't great for anyone, and sugar's well known link to obesity.

I'm thinking a lot about the link between sugar and arthritis these days because I've been reading much about the anti-inflammatory diet, (which is a low sugar diet) and the diet's relationship with pain management in inflammatory arthritis. In addition, obesity has a huge affect on disease course in all kinds of arthritis.

So, I'm wondering... does the increase in sugar intake in the U.S. mirror the increase in environmental toxin use? Are we, as a country, inadvertently piling on more and more challenges to our immune system with chemicals and sugar??

I write this as a self-proclaimed sugar addict, and an only half-hearted crunchy granola health food eater. I LOVE them sweets. Nothing says happiness to me like some KinniToos gluten free cookies (they're Oreos for celiacs). I used to keep bags of candy in my desk drawer. I already mentioned my love affair with Swedish Fish. And I'm not the preachy type. Dig in, I say.

But I've fairly successfully given up sugar in the last 5 months. I never thought I could do it. But I did. And I can tell you... apples and strawberries do taste better when you don't eat sugar.

This is all junk-food for thought.