Sugar addiction grips Taiwanese
By Chiang Sheng
Living in an era of abundant food, many people do not have the time to prepare food for themselves. Modern people often choose to dine out and even if they eat at home, their diet is full of mass-produced products.
People are putting their health in the hands of others, who control the food that they consume. In terms of “appetite” and “lust,” two fundamental human characteristics, people pay less attention to the former, as they act casually and even ignorantly. From a medical perspective, such carelessness could lead to tragedy.
Can we blame this on the public? What was once considered common sense principles for health and nutrition in the past century is now questioned or overturned by new research.
In the past, adipose, salt and cholesterol were blamed for increasing the risks of heart and cerebrovascular diseases, but recent studies have cleared their names. Some of the studies even say that an appropriate amount of such nutrients are good for cardiovascular health.
Some people avoid consuming animal fats and cholesterol, instead turning to added sugars. Today, this is considered a main cause of cardiovascular disease. This new conclusion is simple, but crucial and it is supported by the US Department of Agriculture in its latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the American Heart Association and the British Medical Journal.
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2016/06/06/2003647974
