Joseph says the over-consumption of sugar biggest health threat facing Antigua and Barbuda

13

Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Antigua!
We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages.
Contact us at [email protected]

13 COMMENTS

  1. Another public health emergency that requires him to have some kind of additional power to control people’s lives. Where was all this health talk when COVID was ravaging the world? They still won’t acknowledge the tremendous difference a healthy lifestyle can make.

  2. Wouldn’t Life without sugar be like a tree without water….? So if there’s no Sugar where would our cells get energy from…..?

    • The key phrase is OVER CONSUMPTION. As a people we need to better manage our consumptions of sugar and carbohydrates, which turns to sugar in our bodies. So, our starchy foods, rice, white potatoes, macaroni, spaghetti, yam, etc., all need to be eaten in moderation. Greens, beans, vegetables can be had in bigger quantities and fruit and nuts to round out our diet.
      There was nobody, I repeat, nobody who could drink more coke than me. A 1litre bottle would last me with lunch, full of rice, macaroni pie, mashed potatoes. That was a killer’s diet. Today, my plate is filled with carrots, pumpkin, squash of every kind, two slices of sweet potato, beans or lentils, a small to medium scoop of rice, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, plantain, a small piece of beet (occasionally), spinach, green leafy vegetables, with either baked, broiled or boiled chicken or fish. Not all of them in the same plate but some combination. I also drink water, a glass full of room temperature water a half an hour before lunch and a cup of green tea, I utilize our vervine, fever grass, nunu balsam, lemon leaf, mango leaf. I may have a sprite or lemon/lime/bitters once in a while. So yes, we can shift our diet and eat healthier.
      We are what we eat, think, speak.

    • You need to learn which foods produce blood sugar my friend. Carbohydrates! No wonder type 2 diabetes is rampant on this island. You don’t need sugar to generate your energy. Sure, a little is great to occasionally satisfy your sweet tooth if you’re so inclined, but you don’t need it!

  3. The biggest health threat facing Waladli and Wa’Omoni is this minister himself. Health is physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. You have failed miserably at the task you have been given. Your one dimensional view of healthcare is an embarrassment. Sugar is only the biggest concern to you because your incompetent magicians are telling you that it is costing you and your government money. Money is your god, not health. Sugar was also the biggest concern for the caucasian slave masters. So much it was a concern that they made billions off of it. I guess nothing has changed in the past 400 years.

    People are eating sugar because they have no choice. Fresh fruits and vegetables are more costly than processed sugary food. Moral is at an all time low. Thousands of Waladlians have lost their primary jobs and are scraping to get by. The mental and emotional anguish reported on a daily basis is unheard of. Do you know how many persons this writer has to assist on a regular basis?

    You have taken bread out of the mouths of women, children and men with your so called mandates.

    The Universe (Nationals) is cyclical. Our beginning will be your end. Ask your magicians to decipher this message.

    • You are to be commended for giving a helping hand, but have you ever encouraged others to start a backyard garden, a herb (no, not marijuana), garden. It does not take a ton of space to plant a few carrots, some sweet peppers, onions, even some basil, thyme, chive, which they could use, or if they have enough space sell the excess, a banana tree, soursop tree, mango tree. The mango tree can even be grafted in different parts so most of the year some part is blooming. The exercise that they would be getting would also be beneficial and caring for plants is very therapeutic and mentally calming.

  4. Yes we need to start checking the Nutrition Facts and read the food labels to know what we would be consuming. Total sugars, added sugars etc. Sweet tooth

  5. The 5 Unexpected Benefits of Sugar

    It often seems like you can’t browse through your favorite online news source without seeing a study about the dangers of sugar. According to many experts, sugar is the ONE Thing most people need to eat less of throughout the year. Do people eat way too much sugar? Yes. Is it healthy to permanently remove all sugar from your diet? No.

    At the heart of the sugary situation is the fact there are two types of sugar:

    Natural Sugars

    There are sugars that occur naturally in fruits and milk. These sugars are complex carbohydrates that provide nutrition and help regulate blood sugar.

    Added Sugars

    Refined white sugar (sucrose), brown sugar, honey, and syrups that are added to food are the focus of all those health studies. These added sugars are simple carbohydrates that provide little nutritional value and can cause spikes in blood glucose levels.

    The latest Dietary Guidelines suggest that added sugars account for less than 10 percent of your daily calories. But every age group in the U.S. consumes more than the recommended amount of sugar. Kids 9-18 years old eat the most added sugar – around 17 percent of their daily calories. Sweetened beverages are the number one source of all those sugary calories.

    The holidays are the sweetest time of year, which can make controlling sugar intake difficult. And we don’t want you sitting on the sidelines while your peers enjoy the fruit cake. Like most things in life, as long as you eat sugar in moderation it can actually provide some sweet benefits, especially when you have a busy schedule.

    Sweet Benefit #1 – Sugar Can Provide an Immediate Burst of Energy

    A healthy diet that supports productivity includes sugar. Glucose is the body’s primary source of fuel, and it comes from the breakdown of sugar. Sucrose contains a fructose molecule and a glucose molecule. The body splits the molecules apart, and insulin helps transport the glucose to cells where it’s instantly metabolized and converted into energy. Without glucose, we wouldn’t have the stamina for all of our holiday festivities.

    Sweet Benefit #2 – Sugar Helps You Store Energy for Later

    Sugar can provide energy beyond the immediate boost. After glucose is converted into energy for immediate use, the body will store some of the glucose as an energy reserve for later. The process is called glycogenesis. Glucose molecules are connected together in what’s known as a glycogen chain. The glycogen chain is broken down in single glucose units whenever there’s no primary source of energy.

    What’s great about the glycogenesis process is that it allows us to go extended periods without eating – and there are some days around this time of year where that comes in handy. It’s worth noting, however, to still be mindful of your intake because when glucose exceeds storage capacity it’s converted into fat.

    Sweet Benefit #3 – Sugar Can Provide an Instant Mood Boost

    It should come as no surprise that sugar makes us happy. We’re so hardwired to like sugar, two sweet-receptor genes have been discovered that can predict how strong your sweet tooth will be. Regardless of genes, sugar activates the pleasure center of our brain and causes a rush of dopamine. This will produce an immediate, euphoric feeling.

    Here again, you have to be careful with how much sugar you eat. Too much of a good thing (i.e. sugar) can actually cause the opposite effect. If you find yourself habitually overindulging, check out our Willpower Cheat Sheet for tricks to increase your willpower!

    Sweet Benefit #4 –Naturally Sweet Chocolate Can Improve Thinking Skills

    Chocolate is a source of natural sugar, but it also contains other healthy components. Each bite provides a surge of antioxidants along with cocoa flavanols. Researchers have discovered that cocoa flavanols can improve cognitive function, and studies out of Italy have found that it can even improve thinking skills regardless of whether a person has cognitive impairment.

    Researchers haven’t pinpointed the exact cause for the sharper thinking skills, but they theorize that cocoa flavanols protect against brain cell damage and help create connections within the brain. For the biggest cognitive boost, stick to minimally-processed dark chocolate, which contains the highest levels of cocoa flavanols. You’ll also get an extra surge of sweetness and flavanols by choosing dark chocolate infused with berries.

    Sweet Benefit #5 – Natural Sugar Sources Come With Added Nutrients

    When you select natural sources of sugar they usually include healthy nutrients alongside their sweet counterparts. Dairy products, fruits, and veggies all provide natural sugars in addition to fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and hydration. You can indulge in all the natural sweets you want without creating unhealthy insulin spikes.

  6. The biggest “Health threat,” to the Nation is an incompetent, callous and non-caring government!
    Joseph, you were paying attention, the Pan African Movements from Panthers to Black Power to Rasta to countless other Conscious Groups have being preaching and advocating for the – IT TAKES A VILLAGE principle of Our African Culture.
    As a matter fact Tim Hector and the ACLM were instrumental in establishing several COOPs which were sabotaged by the ALP.

    The Government should monitor and regulate the importations of processed foods, especially those manufactured in China.

    Your WARNING is better late than never!
    However, let your colleagues in Parliament be the test subjects!

Comments are closed.