Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1905-08-12
BY David H, Roodor, Ph,D, MD.

During the summer months more SUI
gars are used than at any other season,
but it is mostly in preparation for the
cold winter months when this heat
producing element can be used by the
system to the best advantage. Speak
ing Of sugars in a technical way they
are called crystallIzed carbohydrates,
In which oxygen and hydrogen exist
in proportion to form water. There
are many varieties or kinds Of sugars.
Among the more common kinds are
those which are used in foods, as such,
although many of our common foods
themselves contain large quantities Of
sugar. Those with which all are ia
millar are known as cane and beet SUI
gar grape sugar, glucose and sugar Of
milk or lactose. 1t would no doubt be
interesting to many of you if was to
tell you all about the various kinds Of
sugars and how they are made, and
their various effects upon the human
body and how to use them, but while
the Home Health Club is an educa-
tlonal work seek to con6ne myself to
instructions that will be of practical
benefit to my readers. the great major
ity Of whom desire information regard
ing tho effect upon the health of over
or under indulgence in sugar or candy.
While different kinds of sugar differ
in sweetness and taste as well as di-
gestibility, they have essentially the
same use as foods as do the starches,
because all starchy foods must be con-
verified into deXtrine or sugar before 1t
can be utilized or assimilated by the
body. For this reason sugars, although
they form an excellent class of foods,
producing both force and heat and
fattening the body, are not Nbso-
lutely necessary for the maintenance
of health if starchy food in sufficient
quantity is made part of the diet 1t
is true that sugars possess more agree
able fiavors than do the starches and
are more satisfying to the palate. They
also possess antiseptic and preserva-
tive powers which the starches do not,
For these reasons sugars and syrups
are used extensively to preserve fruits,
either in solution or dried form.
There is probably no food partaken
of that taxes the digestive organs so
little as sugar. This is largely on nc
count Of the fact that it is so readily
soluble. Cane sugar must be converted
into grape sugar before it is assimi-
lated, but grape sugar does not need
to be changed and is therefore assimi-
lated without effort. 1t is frequently
spoken of as a predigested carbohy-
drate.
Experiments have proven that the
muscle energy producing effect Of su'
gar is so great that when about seven
ounces were added to small meal the
total amount of work done was in
creased from six to thirty per cent
and when added to a large meal the
power to do was increased from eight
to sixteen per cent. Sugar adds both
heat and fat, as before stated, and for
that reason and because it might be
considered the most condensed of nu-
tritives many mountain guides carry 1t
instead of meats and fats when max
ing their perllous journeys.
During muscular activity the con-
sumption of the sugar of the body is in
eroo sed tenfold. In the West Indies
the negroes always grow rat during
the sugar season, when they chew the
cane in the fields. In Volume / Of the
Home Health Cure Books you Will find
the following about candy:
Candy, absolutely pure, eaten in
small quantities, is not harmful. 1t is,
in such small quantities, quickly alb
sorbed by the stomach, and supplies
healthful proportion Of carbonaceous
material. In excessive quantities can
dy or sugar is sure to do damage.
Children who are INDUCED to the full
est in their desire for sweets will at
some time suffer from the indulgence
of their kind but unwise parents.
"The cheapest candies on the market
are. almost without exception, largely
composed of glucose. AS a natural
constituent Of fruits glucose is benefi-
cial, but as a manufactured product it
cannot be too severely condemned, and
its consumption is always harmful. A
natural product can be initiated, but
never duplicated by the chemist. We
may form a product Identical in com
position, but If natures impression Is
not upon ii there will be subtle diff
ference. This is one reason why glu-
cose is harmful. Another reason is the
fact that in the manufacture of glu"
cose acids are used which contain
traces Of arsenic The cheaper forms
of glucose candies, when used to eX-
cess, not infrequently produce symp-
toms identical with those Of slight ar
senical poisoning"
Many persons acquire an inordlnate
fondness for sugars. Continued over
indulgence in this food, especially by
people who are not very active or live
in a warm climate or heated rooms
will surely cause them to suffer. The
most prominent gastric disturbance is
fatulent dyspepsia, then follows con-
stipation and disorders of assimilation
and nutrition, and sometimes function
al glycosuria or diabetes.
There are some diseases in which
sugar in all forms should be strictly
avoided, such as flatulent dyspepsia,
acute and chronic gastrltis, gastric di-
lation, govt, rheumatism, obesity and
uric acid diathesls, and it should be abb
solutely forbidden in diabetes. Tempo
rary disturbances of digestion from
eating TOO much foods are very com
mon, and can usually be rectifed by
simple remedies and by Withholding or
diminishing the customary allowance
of sugar. Sugar eaten constantly IN
excess spoils the teeth and destroys
the appetite for other food.