MARCH 3RD 2016

IS SUGAR A DEADLY DRUG?

Amin Sabbagh 12B

THE HISTORY OF
SUGAR
Not many people know
that sugar was first a deluxe
product; it was also referred
as white gold. One of the
first people to discover
sugar was the Persians.
Before that time to sweeten
food Persians used honey.
After their discovery of the
sugar cane, Persians
dubbed it with the reed

Did you know that since

list of every product you buy

which gives honey without

bees. After Alexander the

2011 more than 40 million

and youll find it has sugar.

children are under the age of

Whether or not sugar is a drug

Great had concurred some

five are obese? What might be

it has been proven to be

of the western Asia in the

the cause of this? The cause is

deadly, and the food industry

fourth century, he took with

a life-long addiction to a drug

is to blame. The food industry

him the sugar cane, which

that unfortunately everyone

should stop producing an

has fallen victim to, sugar.

excess amount of sugar; also

Sugar is everywhere these

produce healthier food

days, looking into the nutrient

products.

he named the sacred

reed. Early Europeans
would then bring sugar to
their homelands as

TO WHAT EXTENT CAN SUGAR BE

POISONOUS?

medicine and luxury. When

sugar was discovered to
grow well in America by

Since the 1980s everybody

thought that fat was the main

contributor to obesity, so since

Christopher Columbus, a

then we have seen the sign low-

large number of plantations

fat on the products we buy. As

Is Sugar a deadly Drug?

started growing sugar

canes for export.

Is Sugar a deadly Drug?

we all know food without fat has

or sugar water. 40 out of the 43

no taste, so they (the food

chose the sugar water over the

industry) put a substitute. As you

cocaine. In America the food

can guess that substitute was

industry offers more than 6000

sugar. This is a market strategy by

products, only 20% have no

The reason for this is that to

the food industry, pretty smart

added sugar. Sugar has many

when you think about it. Sugar is

different names, such as cane

own a sugar plantation had

a long-lasting toxic, which is the

juice, corn syrup, dextrose, and

cause of metabolic diseases,

artificial honey. They all have the

gold mine. Sugar in Britain

including cancer, lipid problems,

same consequence. When

(and most of Europe) was

strokes, heart diseases and

eating something that has sugar,

diabetes. Fat is not the villain;

fructose is dealt with in the liver.

sugar is. The brain lights up when

When the liver is at its limit, the

everywhere else. Sugar

one is doing drugs, such as

pancreas produces a hormone

would cost about 50 pounds

heroin, cocaine, and sugar. In

that turns sugar into fat. This

that sugar is proven to be eight

hormone is insulin; it is a hormone

times as addictive as cocaine. In

that turns all energy into fat. A

not suited to the climate to

a recent study by daily news

way of sugar to effect the brain is

grow. It wasnt in till 1747

writer Princeton University, rats

by having high amounts of insulin.

were supplied with water which

When you have high amount of

had sugar. When they were put

insulin, signals to the brain block

for sugar thanks to German

on a water diet, they showed

the fact your stomach is full thus

chemist Andreas Marggraf.

signs of an addict. In another

you stay hungry. You ever ask

study, 43 rats were put in cages

yourself why when you go to the

over a fifteen day period and

mall they offer a Pepsi to you?

Marggraf that one could

given a choice to drink cocaine

(Couric & Soechtig, 2014).

extract sugar from beets.

THE HISTORY OF
SUGAR

the same value as owning a

more so as a luxury than

because sugar canes were

Europe had the main source

It was discovered by

Since World War I, Britain

has partially produced their
sugar from beet plants.
(History of Sugar, N.D)

Is Sugar a deadly Drug?

WHAT ARE THE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN

SUGAR AND DRUGS?

THE HISTORY OF SUGAR

From the 1700s to this day, we
can see a dramatic increase in the

Every human has a hormone that is released in their brain called dopamine. When

use of sugar. At first, sugar was

one accomplished something he has been working on, had a great experience or

used in small quantities, because

just in a good mood dopamine is released in the reward system area of the brain.

it was so expensive only a minor

Its what motivates humans to strive more. When dopamine is released, we are
programmed to want to repeat this sensation. When one does drugs, his brain

number of people used it in their

pathways get hijacked, why? The answer is that drugs like cocaine are

food. In the 1800s, wealthy

superstimulus. Superstimulus floods the brain with an overdose of dopamine.

families would buy sugar boxes.

Once one feels this sudden sensation, he would want to experience it again and

Basically, a sugar box was a

again. Sugar has shown to have the same effect as cocaine to the brain. So when

small box with a lock to protect

someone says he is addicted to food, he is. When someone is carving for fast-food,
he isnt hungry he just wants to taste something to feel pleasure, So much so his

sugar from servants. In 1900, 12

brain will begin tolerating the dopamine. This is common knowledge about drug

grams of sugar was digested by

addicts; they first start small then they continue onto bigger portions. Same applies

the average person per day. Then

to sugar and fast food, you wont feel full in till you eat a bigger burger than you

Fructose was discovered in 1970,

are used to. (Gunnars, 2015)

as a result like everything that has

an abundance sugar became lowpriced and available in much
larger quantities. With this
plentiful amount of sugar, rates of
grams of sugar consumed boosted
up to 160 per day! Fast-forward
to todays world more than 200
grams is consumed per day.
Consequently, obesity levels are
about 40% in America alone,

IS RAW SUGAR HEALTHER THAN

BROWN SUGAR?
According to biologist Mrs. Muna Al-Sadoon biology teacher of Dubai
Modern Skills, contrary to popular belief that raw sugar is actually healthier
than brown sugar, she has said the latter is healthier. Mrs. Al-Sadoon states
Brown sugar is healthier, because it is not manufactured so much in the
industry. As a result, no heat treatment and it can be used as a direct source
of energy more that of white sugar. When raw sugar is processed it is
converted to fat more than energy. To summarize, brown sugar is healthier
due to the fat it is less processed and it is more natural than raw sugar.

which is also increase because it

was only less than 10% at the
beginning of the last century. (AlShugairi, 2015)

Is Sugar a deadly Drug?

How can we stop this problem you may ask? Simple eat sugar. Dont be shocked when I tell you this, the
best way to fight sugar is to fight it with sugar. When you get the feeling to eat Twix, eat an apple. When
youre in the mood for coco cola, drink some natural homemade orange juice. Our body needs sugar, but
only if it was natural sugar. Fruits, vegetables and natural honey are very healthy for the body and not at all
addicting. Over time, youll find yourself asking how was I eating this trash?

In conclusion, Sugar has been proven as a drug, through studies and experiences we can find so many
reasons to stop eating added sugar and just eat fresh and natural food instead. The food industry should stop
selling us poison and give us food to eat.

Is Sugar a deadly Drug?

Reference List
1.

History of Sugar. (N.D). Retrieved February, 29, 2016, from http://www.sugarnutrition.org.uk/sugar-

information/history-of-sugar/.
2.

Al-Shugairi, A. (Producer). (2015). Khawater [Television series]. Saudi Arabia: MBC Company. Retrieved

February, 29, 2016.

3.

Couric, K. (Producer). & Soechtig, S. (Director). (2014). Fed Up [Motion picture]. United States: Atlas

Films. Retrieved February, 29, 2016.

4.

Gunnars, K. (July, 2015) 10 Similarities between Sugar, Junk Food and Abusive Drugs. Retrieved

February, 29, 2016, from http://authoritynutrition.com/10-similarities-between-junk-foods-and-drugs/.