Sugar.... Is it the enemy that we all are lead to believe it to be?

I certainly think it is a major factor in the demise of the health of many Australians including our next generation. Yes we know that sugar occurs naturally in many foods including fruits and some vegetables, milk, yoghurt and many starchy foods however this is not the sugar that I am concerned with. Fruit sugar known as fructose and milk sugar known as lactose are naturally found in core foods however they also come with important nutrients such as protein, calcium and fibre. The sugar that gravely concerns me is the added sugar found in many foods that we seem to be consuming in huge amounts including some yoghurts, some breakfast cereals, muesli bars and many drinks including juices and soft drinks. A sugar tax may stem the flow of soft drink sales here in Australia but it is still not the only answer to our worsening Diabetes and Obesity problem. I am always shocked to see the young age at which kids start drinking soft drink, cordials and juices ( these little guys are setting up habits for life- and there is absolutely no reason to give our young kids sugar laden drinks!). A startling statistic is that the average Aussie child gets 43 per cent of their daily kilojoules from treats, and for adults that’s 36 per cent. Adults need to lead by example and grab for the water themselves. Tooth decay, Diabetes, Obesity and poor health associated with a sugar rich diet is totally preventable.

http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/diet/should-australia-get-on-board-and-implement-a-sugar-tax/news-story/a41f86ed9411efae40ba75c398516207