05/09/2011 17:20
The Compelling, Viral Dr. Lustig: The NY Times takes a Closer Look
Sugar, particularly high fructose corn syrup, has been under attack in recent years. Rather than exercise moderation, we are urged to give it up entirely from many quarters these days. A viral video by a doctor with admirable credentials, Dr. Robert Lustig, is one of them. This New York Times article gives a thoughtful examination of Lustig's persuasive claims.
An excerpt:
There is a difference, however, between the toxic effects of over-consumption of any food product or ingredient, and actual toxicity."It doesn’t hurt Lustig’s cause that he is a compelling public speaker. His critics argue that what makes him compelling is his practice of taking suggestive evidence and insisting that it’s incontrovertible. Lustig certainly doesn’t dabble in shades of gray. Sugar is not just an empty calorie, he says; its effect on us is much more insidious. “It’s not about the calories,” he says. “It has nothing to do with the calories. It’s a poison by itself.”"It’s one thing to suggest, as most nutritionists will, that a healthful diet includes more fruits and vegetables, and maybe less fat, red meat and salt, or less of everything. It’s entirely different to claim that one particularly cherished aspect of our diet might not just be an unhealthful indulgence but actually be toxic, that when you bake your children a birthday cake or give them lemonade on a hot summer day, you may be doing them more harm than good, despite all the love that goes with it. Suggesting that sugar might kill us is what zealots do. But Lustig, who has genuine expertise, has accumulated and synthesized a mass of evidence, which he finds compelling enough to convict sugar. His critics consider that evidence insufficient, but there’s no way to know who might be right, or what must be done to find out, without discussing it."
It's a thoughtful article, worthy of taking a look.