Doctor, I Suppose That Most People Know What Is Meant By Sugar?

"Yes, they understand that it is some substance extracted from plants and crystallized. They also know that it dissolves very readily and easily becomes a fluid."

How Is Sugar Obtained?

"The sugar of commerce is obtained most largely from what is known as sugar cane, although much beet sugar is used in this country. The cane sugar comes from tropical countries while some of the beet sugar is produced in this country but more comes from Eiurope, principally Germany. There is also a small amount of sugar made from the sap of maple trees and from sorghum cane."

Are There Any Other Plants Which Contain Sugar?

"Yes, nearly all the plants used for food have more or less sugar in them and many fruits are very rich in sugar although the sugar of fruits is slightly different from that of cane sugar. Fruit sugar is known as levulose."

Is There Any Sugar In Meats?

"No, but there is a great deal of sugar in milk, especially human milk. The milk in sugar is called milk sugar or lactose."

To What Class Of Foods Does Sugar Belong?

"Sugar belongs to the force producers and ranks next to fat and starch for that purpose. This being the case, it is aptly termed a concentrated food, for it has no waste."

In What Way Is It Useful As A Food?

"Well, the fact that it is found in most of our foods would indicate that it had a high place in serving some need of the body."

"This will be very gratifying to persons who are said to have a sweet tooth, and they will be quoting you wherever candy is wanted and for every reprimand received."

"I am not so sure about that. It does not follow that because nature distributes sugar in most of her plants that the crystallized sugar of commerce deserves the same extensive use, and it is not clear why sugar should be added to our foods any more than it be would to add extract of beef to a steak or roast."

"I wasn't expecting such a turn as you have given the matter."

"So much injury comes from the excessive use of sugar that some one should warn the people of the fact."

"I never heard of the injury before."

"Perhaps you never thought about the needs of the system and how much sugar is really used."

"No, I never did."

"Well, considering the amount of sugar imported, the various kinds of sugar syrup and molasses made in this country, one is surprised how much per capita is really consumed."

About How Much Will It Make For Each Individual?

"If we make some allowance for those who scarcely eat sugar at all and for small children, we are forced to conclude that the sugar eaters average from five ounces up to almost a pound per day. Now a pound and a half of sugar would furnish enough heat for ordinary exercise and weather, without any other food, and it will therefore be seen that a large amount of sugar in our diet dispenses with other foods. This leaves us a diet so deficient in many respects that injury could not help but follow."

What Is The Effect Of The Excessive Use Of Sugar?

"Well, to understand that, we must consider that sugar is pure fuel with no waste matter in it and that every particle of it must be burned up in the system or thrown out of the system as sugar. Now, where much sugar is consumed it has a tendency to prevent the burning up of other foods, and this leads to serious consequences. If, however, the quantity of food is reduced in proportion to the amount of sugar used, then there is no waste material for the system, or at least it reduces the waste as well as the tissue forming foods. If other foods are not proportionately reduced according to the amount of sugar consumed, there may be conjestion of the liver, disturbance of digestion, excessive accumulation of fat, and finally diabetes. If the food be reduced according to the sugar, then there will likely be constipation."

This Is Worse And More Of It, Is There Any Other Mean Thing You Can Say About Sugar?

"Well if sugar is not quickly disposed of, it will turn to vinegar, and in doing this it is likely to arrest digestion and if the food is not properly digested, decay sets in, which produces poisonous gases besides other decomposing substances that are likely to poison the system, causing languor, headache, rheumatism, and many other ailments.'

"I have often heard that sugar would cause the teeth to decay."

"There is not much in this, for the accumulation of starch and other food on the teeth would cause them to decay without any sugar, but a diet made up largely of it would be deficient in mineral matter and would therefore not furnish any natural supply for the bones, as well as other parts of the system."

Is There Any Difference Between Sugar And Molasses Or Syrup?

"There Is No Difference Except The Quantity Of Water."

How About Candy?

"Candy is flavored sugar with its crystals broken by various methods of manipulation. Other substances are often added, to increase the weight or change the texture. These are not supposed to be harmful in themselves. They consist mainly of such things as starch, and in very cheap candy sometimes an earthy substance, chocolate, gum and other substances. Gum drops are less likely to disturb digestion than candy."