The sugar-coated lie: In the 1960’s, the US sugar industry deceived consumers in a similar way to the tobacco industry. Scientists and researchers were paid to present sugar in a positive light and place the blame for increasing cardiovascular disease entirely on fat. This misconception persists to this day and has devastating consequences. The theory stubbornly persists, against better knowledge, that an increased cholestrol level leads to arterial calcification and therefore heart attacks (see blog article “The Cholestrol Lies”)
Scientists paid by the sugar industry
In 1957, British nutritionist, John Yudkin, suspected that saturated fats could lead to cardiovascular disease, but noted that other factors, such as sugar, were “at least equally important”. This was confirmed in further studies. In 1965, one study concluded that the blood glucose values allow a better prediction of arterial calcification than the cholestrol values. The sugar industry decided to take action by launching media reports. As recently revealed by US professor Stanton Glanz, two research scientists were commissioned to conduct an overview study of the metabolism of sugars and fats and were very generously paid. The two scientists obligingly showed their appreciation by concluding that there was ‘no doubt’ that the only way to prevent cardiovascular disease was to reduce cholesterol . No mention was made of the possible role of sugar.
Less sugar, less medication
To date, no concusive biological evidence has been found to prove that an increased cholestrol level leads to the dreaded calcification of blood vessels. In a study conducted over 60 years and including 68 094 participancts, a high LDL cholestrol level was linked to a lower death rate rather than a higher death rate. This conclusion is in direct contrast to the current cholestrol hyposthesis which concludes that cholestrol, especially LDL cholestrol, leads to arterial calcification and health problems. But, there is little interest in the new discovery since the pharmaceutical industry earns billions from cholestrol lowering drugs. To abandon these drugs and to consume less sugar simultaneously does not appear to be an option. The true cause of arteriosclerosis is unclear and more research needs to be done. However, a high sugar consumption certainly plays a role.
