Sugar is toxic?

A “60 Minutes” report that said sugar is a toxin has Dave Ross very concerned.

In a special report for “60 Minutes,” Dr. Sanjay Gupta presented information from recent studies that suggest sugar is a toxin. The report has 97.3 KIRO FM host Dave Ross quite alarmed.

“It was completely frightening to me,” said 97.3 KIRO FM Ross and Burbank Show host Dave Ross. “They go on to scare the hell out of you about this stuff that you eat every day.”

Gupta said this isn’t just a concern for people consuming especially large amounts of sugar, but for people with an average diet as well.

“Even at the average amounts of sugar, sugar that we probably all take on any given day, it’s toxic to our body,” said Gupta on 60 Minutes Overtime.

Co-host Luke Burbank said he isn’t one that packs on the sugar.

“I don’t put sugar in my coffee anymore, I don’t put sugar in my tea, I don’t eat that many desserts anymore.”

But Ross said the issue seems to be sugar in places you don’t expect it.

“That was the scary thing about this, because most of us I think have done what you’re doing, you don’t deliberately add sugar, but the point that he’s making is, you don’t have to because they have pre-sugared basically everything you buy now.”

In the report, Gupta introduced the audience to a Dr. Robert Lustig, a man leading a movement to educate people about the dangers sugar. He told Gupta most doctors don’t even know about all the dangers of sugar. Lustig gained national attention with a presentation posted to YouTube called Sugar: The Bitter Truth.

Lustig calls the consumption of sugar in the U.S. a public health crisis.

In an extension of the report on “60 Minutes Overtime,” Gupta offered some recommendations for avoiding sugar.

He first suggests reading food labels.

“It’s stunning how much sugar is in everyday foods,” said Gupta.

He also recommends avoiding packaged foods.

“Eating real food is probably the best piece of advice,” said Gupta. “It’s stuff that doesn’t come out of a box. It doesn’t come in a package.”

As for where it’s safe to get your sweet fix, Gupta said fruit has sugars that are more safely absorbed by the body.

“When you eat sugar in the form of fruit you’re getting lots of other stuff with it. You’re getting fiber.
You’re getting micronutrients. You’re getting a slower absorption of sugar,” said Gupta. “That’s much more natural. That’s the way human bodies were designed to take in the sugar.”

After finding himself very shocked by all the info, Ross encourages everyone to watch the report.

“If you missed it, take a look at it, you may think it’s just a lot of BS, but I was amazed at how pervasive the whole sugar thing has become.”

By JAMIE GRISWOLD, MyNorthwest.com Editor