The Case Against Sugar audiobook cover - Our love of sugar is killing us

The Case Against Sugar

Our love of sugar is killing us

Gary Taubes

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Health & Nutrition

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The Case Against Sugar
History & Ubiquity+
The Calorie Myth+
Industry Propaganda+
Health Consequences+
Actionable Advice+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 8
What major agricultural and technological developments made sugar cheap and widely available?
  • A. The discovery of sugarcane in New Guinea and the invention of the cotton gin.
  • B. The cultivation of the sugar beet and the advent of the steam engine.
  • C. The invention of artificial sweeteners and the expansion of global trade routes.
  • D. The discovery of high-fructose corn syrup and the rise of the soda industry.
Question 2 of 8
Why does the author argue that the phrase 'a calorie is a calorie' is a dangerous misconception?
  • A. Because calories from sugar are digested much slower than calories from fat, leading to chronic fatigue.
  • B. Because calories from fat contain more than double the energy of calories from carbohydrates.
  • C. Because sugar calories trigger the release of insulin, which signals the body to store fat rather than burn it for energy.
  • D. Because sugar calories naturally contain fewer essential vitamins and minerals than calories from fruit.
Question 3 of 8
In 1928, how did the newly created Sugar Institute attempt to increase the demand for sugar?
  • A. By promoting sugar as an essential health food that boosted the immune system and prevented fatigue.
  • B. By marketing sugar exclusively to children through the creation of cartoon mascots.
  • C. By partnering with the dairy industry to promote ice cream as a daily dietary staple.
  • D. By heavily subsidizing the cost of sugar to make it cheaper than any artificial alternative.
Question 4 of 8
How did the sugar industry successfully eliminate the threat of the artificial sweetener cyclamate in the 1960s?
  • A. By launching a massive ad campaign highlighting the bitter aftertaste of artificial sweeteners.
  • B. By funding studies that linked cyclamate to cancer in rats, leading to an FDA ban.
  • C. By buying out the companies that manufactured artificial sweeteners and shutting them down.
  • D. By lobbying the government to heavily tax any product containing artificial sweeteners.
Question 5 of 8
How did the sugar industry deflect blame for the rise of heart disease in the twentieth century?
  • A. By claiming that heart disease was purely a genetic condition unrelated to diet.
  • B. By promoting the idea that a lack of exercise, rather than dietary changes, was the main cause.
  • C. By sponsoring research by scientist Ancel Keys that pointed to saturated fat as the primary culprit.
  • D. By arguing that heart disease was caused by a severe deficiency in complex carbohydrates.
Question 6 of 8
According to the book, what is the biological mechanism that links sugar consumption to metabolic syndrome?
  • A. Sugar causes the body to develop insulin resistance, creating a vicious cycle where the body requires more insulin to process glucose.
  • B. Sugar accelerates the aging of cells, leading to widespread inflammation and immediate high blood pressure.
  • C. Sugar consumption causes the pancreas to stop producing insulin entirely, resulting in immediate Type 1 diabetes.
  • D. Sugar coats the lining of the stomach, preventing the absorption of essential nutrients needed for metabolic health.
Question 7 of 8
What does the case study of the Tokelau people demonstrate about diet and health?
  • A. A high-fat diet naturally leads to high rates of diabetes, even in isolated populations.
  • B. Emigrating to a new climate causes metabolic stress that triggers diabetes and obesity.
  • C. Traditional diets lacking in modern carbohydrates leave populations highly susceptible to infectious diseases.
  • D. Transitioning from a high-fat, low-sugar diet to a diet high in sugar leads to a drastic increase in diabetes and obesity.
Question 8 of 8
What is the proposed link between sugar consumption and an increased risk of cancer?
  • A. Sugar directly mutates the DNA of healthy cells, causing them to become cancerous.
  • B. High levels of insulin in the blood, resulting from sugar-induced insulin resistance, are associated with a higher risk of developing cancer.
  • C. Artificial sweeteners used to replace sugar have been proven to cause cancer in humans at normal consumption levels.
  • D. Sugar depletes the immune system of essential white blood cells needed to fight off early-stage tumors.

The Case Against Sugar — Full Chapter Overview

The Case Against Sugar Summary & Overview

The Case Against Sugar (2016) offers a critical look at how the sugar industry has grown ever stronger despite medical data showing that it can be harmful to our health. Find out how this happened, and how critics have been silenced and ridiculed despite overwhelming evidence that this one ingredient can be linked to many of the most serious diseases in the Western world.

Who Should Listen to The Case Against Sugar?

  • Nutritionists and people who care about their health
  • Dieters and anyone who would like to lose a few pounds
  • Parents who think fat is more dangerous than sugar

About the Author: Gary Taubes

Gary Taubes is an award-winning journalist who covers science and health. His work has appeared in publications such as the New York Times, the Atlantic and the British Medical Journal. He is also the author of Why We Get Fat and The Diet Delusion.

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