Tea at Trianon: The Bad News about Sugar

John Wilson Croker on Marie-Antoinette

"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with– if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves– something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny– that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."

~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844

Edmund Burke on Marie-Antoinette

"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely there never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like a morning star full of life and splendor and joy. Oh, what a revolution....Little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fall upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look which threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded...."

~Edmund Burke, October 1790

Sunday, September 30, 2007

The Bad News about Sugar

Too much sugar generates disease, according to some doctors. It is best to cut back on the use of refined sugar. Unfortunately, so much of the food we give our children is laden with it. Share

4 comments:

Anonymous said...: Kicking the sugar habit is very difficult. From birth humans have a preference for sweet foods. I read these articles the other day; I'm sure you'll find them interesting too:

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/4/T045000
.asp

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/4/T042500
.asp#T042504

In the past when I have given up sugary treats for Lent, at first everything tastes bland. But as I continue, my cravings for super-sweetened foods lessen. By the end of the 40 days a piece of bread can taste sweet. Fruits taste like dessert - cake or pie sound nauseatingly sweet.

But wow, if I start eating sugary treats again, my tolerance builds up and I crave more and more sugar. It is amazing how addictive it is!; September 30, 2007 at 6:41:00 PM EDT
Anonymous said...: The other insidious thing about sugar laden food and consumption by children is that it takes away their appetite for nourishing food. It signals the brain centers that the hunger has been assuaged and the child does not want to eat anything else.; September 30, 2007 at 9:07:00 PM EDT
Jennifer @ Conversion Diary said...: I totally believe this. I saw amazing improvements in my health when I cut out sugar (not that I was able to keep it up). :) Also, check out this really interesting info from a book I have called The Immune System Cure:

Our immune system function is severely hampered by sugar consumption.

One study evaluated the ability of immune cells to engulf bacteria. The study looked at five groups of subjects. Group one was the control group; the second group consumed 6 teaspoons of sugar; and the third, fourth and fifth groups consumed 12, 18, and 24 teaspoons of sugar, respectively.

Over five hours, blood samples were extracted and mixed with bacteria. Immune cells in the control group ate approximately 14 bacterium. With each consecutive group, the number of bacterium eaten was reduced until, in the group that consumed 24 teaspoons of sugar, only one bacterium was destroyed. Immune suppression was seen well after consumption of the sugar.

...

When they are under the influence of sugar, immune cells are unable to march around the body fighting invaders. A form of paralysis takes place and these cells are rendered ineffective. Sugar also increases the growth of Candida albicans, a yeast organism responsible for poor nutrient absorption, chronic fatigue, depression, weight gain and digestive upsets.

So interesting!!; September 30, 2007 at 9:17:00 PM EDT
elena maria vidal said...: Thanks, ladies, for the great links and additional information!; October 1, 2007 at 5:53:00 PM EDT