The Case Against Sugar

By Gary Taubes, 2016

Among Americans, diabetes is more prevalent today than ever; obesity is at epidemic proportions; nearly 10% of children are thought to have nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. And sugar is at the root of these, and other, critical society-wide, health-related problems. With his signature command of both science and straight talk, Gary Taubes delves into Americans’ history with sugar: Its uses as a preservative, as an additive in cigarettes, the contemporary overuse of high-fructose corn syrup. He explains what research has shown about our addiction to sweets. He clarifies the arguments against sugar, corrects misconceptions about the relationship between sugar and weight loss; and provides the perspective necessary to make informed decisions about sugar as individuals and as a society.

Contents

  1. Drug or Food?
  2. The First Ten Thousand Years
  3. The Marriage of Tobacco and Sugar
  4. A Peculiar Evil
  5. The Early (Bad) Science
  6. The Gift That Keeps on Giving
  7. Big Sugar
  8. Defending Sugar
  9. What They Didn’t Know
  10. The If/Then Problem: I
  11. The If/Then Problem: II