Last week, a co-worker of mine put a paper clipping of an article in my work mail box (yes, Virginia--newspapers in print still exist). It didn't have a note or name attached to it, so I wasn't sure which of my evil co-workers had placed it in there. The article was about how sugar can lead to heart disease, especially fatal heart events (read: heart attacks).
As you can imagine, this article caught my attention. After all, I live on a diet comprised of 85% sugar in one form or another. And, I actually had been wondering if my weird blood pressure readings had anything to do with that third candy bar of the day.
Unhealthy cholesterol, higher blood pressure, inflammation of the internal tidbits....according to this article, anyone who has a diet of 25% sugary substances is three times more likely to die of heart disease than those who consumed less than that.
Twenty five percent sounds like a lot of sugar.....but anyone in America who thinks they have a diet less than 25% sugar in should probably start reading food labels--mysterious paper-clipped-article man included. I hate to tell him that there is a ton of what I call "hidden" sugar in ketchup in barbecue sauce and ketchup. All that white starchy stuff is just a ball of sugar in disguise. Don't even get me started on that can of pop you just drank.
(I can say "Man" because I have since found out the culprit. I gave him the finger.)
Now, I know that having candy for breakfast is probably not the wisest choice, especially when washing it down with a cup of coffee (oh, my achin' adrenals)....but, I'd much rather eat something made of visible sugar than of hidden sugar. I want to enjoy and see my sugar. I want to embrace it, savor it, eat it. I don't want to miss the adventure, the taste, the love.
To the researchers, I say: I happen to think there are those of us who are made to run on sugar. I'm not kidding. Some people can have the unhealthiest of habits and still live to be 100 years old. The Universe is weird like that. I may be lying to myself, but methinks I am made to consume sugar in the manner of which I embrace.
I am one of the fortunate people in the world that can safely have my cake and eat it, too.
I thought about doing a scientific test of my own--I considered cutting out the obvious sugars for a month (you know, candy bars, cookies, chocolate chips out of the bag, ice cream) and see if my cholesterol and blood pressure reflected any change.
Then, I came to my senses.
Do you know what kind of detox process I would have to go through? I'd go through honest-to-god withdrawal and life is WAY too short for that kind of nonsense. I'd be crawling up the wall, screaming at people, unable to think in any manner of which would get me through the work day. Then, I'd fall into a little puddle of angst on the copy room floor. I'd shake and I'd shiver and I'd drool, followed by my eyes rolling back into my head.
Okay, no cold turkey. Maybe I'll consider cutting back on the ice cream for breakfast.
Or, maybe not.
After all, life is short and there is much cake that needs to be eaten at breakfast....especially when it is home-made molten lava cake.
A haiku, dedicated to my baking-genius friend:
Sugar-covered sugar, little volcano of love
Breakfast for all.
I ain't afraid of embracing this addiction. Are you gonna lick that hand mixer thingy? If not, hand it here.
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