Study details sugar industry attempt to shape science

Associated Press ^ | Sep. 12, 2016 2:58 PM EDT | Candice Choi

[Olog-hai]

The sugar industry began funding research that cast doubt on sugar’s role in heart disease — in part by pointing the finger at fat — as early as the 1960s, according to an analysis of newly uncovered documents.

The analysis published Monday is based on correspondence between a sugar trade group and researchers at Harvard University, and is the latest example showing how food and beverage makers attempt to shape public understanding of nutrition.

In 1964, the group now known as the Sugar Association internally discussed a campaign to address “negative attitudes toward sugar” after studies began emerging linking sugar with heart disease, according to documents dug up from public archives.

The following year the group approved “Project 226,” which entailed paying Harvard researchers today’s equivalent of $48,900 for an article reviewing the scientific literature, supplying materials they wanted reviewed, and receiving drafts of the article. …

[Paladin2]

As long as Scotch is not involved, there is nothing to wordy about.

[4Liberty]

Corrupt rent seeking bastids!!!!

[Dr. Sivana]

And after all the efforts of the “Sugar Association”, sugar is now largely bypassed in favor of high fructose corn syrup.

[exDemMom]

And after all the efforts of the “Sugar Association”, sugar is now largely bypassed in favor of high fructose corn syrup.

Which, to your body, is indistinguishable from sucrose, except that it tastes sweeter. That allows the food industry to use less sugar for the same taste.

The difference between sucrose and high fructose corn syrup is that sucrose contains one molecule each of fructose and glucose, covalently bonded. HFCS contains 40-60% fructose and 60-40% glucose, but they are not covalently boded. The covalent bond in sucrose is broken almost as soon as you eat the sugar.

[EEGator]

It’s all Ancel Keys fault.

[Oberon]

What's interesting to me about this is the prima facie evidence that Harvard can be bought.

[Original Lurker]

It’s my understanding this is a lot like the American Heart Association in that what we know as the AHA was created by the makers of vegetable oil using “science” to sell their products.

The original AHA was a small group of heart specialists honestly interested in their vocation and heart research - until the vegetable oil industry starting infusing $$$.

[Ancesthntr]

Karl Denninger has been all over this for quite some time. Here’s the latest: https://market-ticker.org/akcs-www?post=231502

[Paladin2]

Never stop exhaling CO2....

[HamiltonJay]

There is no sound Sugar is toxic, but HFCS is far far worse.0

[GailA]

What about either in diabetes control? Where every carb or gram of sugar and I don’t care the source has to be counted. And uncontrolled diabetes does lead into heart disease.

And no one has factored in the 15% or more your meter is off or what other meds drive up you blood sugar level. I take 2 such drugs and they are MUST drugs. Endo wants the morning blood sugar level 100 or less. I might see that once or twice a month. I’m considered Pre-diabetic due to a digestive disorder that doesn’t allow you to digest FIBER fruit or veggies, no seeds, nuts or rice either.

[Dr. Sivana]

What about either in diabetes control? Where every carb or gram of sugar and I don’t care the source has to be counted. And uncontrolled diabetes does lead into heart disease.

Just for the record, GailA and HamiltonJay responded to my post, which simply observed that after the Sugar association spent all these efforts to demonize fat instead of sugar, that HFCS has largely supplanted the use of sugar in food and drink manufacture in this country.

I did not intend for my comment to say anything one way or another about HFCS versus cane sugar, as that really would be for another thread. I only wanted to note the law of unintended consequences that clearing the way for sweeteners at the expense of fats was not necessarily in the longterm interests of the Sugar Association.

ExDemMom was the one who observed that chemically speaking, your body cannot tell the difference, so any issues for/against/neutral about HFCS or sugar in terms of health and nutrition should be directed to her (or another other appropriate poster) and not me.

Also, this is one of those times to make it clear that I am not a medical doctor, and that the name Dr. Sivana refers to a comic book doctor of the Mad Scientist variety, whose nemesis is the original Captain Marvel.

[Demanwideplan]

The prevalence of heart disease and sugar consumption has risen in an identical parallel in our society. It can not be debunked.