Instead of avoiding fat, some cardiologists are encouraging patients to "embrace full fat dairy and other saturated fats". Meanwhile, health experts and campaigners have set their sights on sugar, with calls for a tax on sugary drinks. According to recent reports, just one sugary hot drink provides more than double your recommended daily intake.
Research from the World Health Organization has found that free sugars (that is, any sugar added to food or drinks, or found naturally in honey, syrups, and fruit juices), particularly in sugar-sweetened beverages, increase your overall energy intake and can lead to an unhealthy diet, weight gain and an increased risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as diabetes and heart disease.
Sugar has also been linked to cancer. A 2013 study found that sugar consumption could trigger the formation of the hormone gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) that increases insulin levels. Insulin resistance has a well-documented connection with cancer. Prior to the 19th century, sugar was a rare commodity, but with the introduction of new techniques to extract it the industry boomed, growing from a quarter of a million tons in 1800 to 8 million tons in 1900.
‘Sweet, sweet Connie’ in Grand Funk Railroad hit dies at 66
