Sugar -- the elephant in the kitchen: Robert Lustig at TEDxBermuda 2013

Robert H. Lustig is an American pediatric endocrinologist at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) where he is a Professor of Clinical Pediatrics.

Dr. Lustig assesses the health dangers of sugar and its link to Type-2 diabetes and the global obesity epidemic. He is the author of several books and many articles on childhood obesity, including the recent "Obesity Before Birth."

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

[hmw]

Food is truly medicine. 20 years here without ANY added sugar or refined starches (flour, processed foods with flour, etc.) after I learned it would help me eliminate epilepsy. Zero seizures in 20 years as a result without meds!

[tumourfreetim]

To fight stage 4 lung cancer I made 39 diet and lifestyle changes. No refined sugar was 1st change. Given 3 months to live in feb 2017. Today happily tumourfreetim

[robmckay]

I lost 60 lbs just by cutting sugar, carbs, only drinking water, and doing 30 minutes of exercise 6 days a week. It sucked at the start. But, now I'm straight-up addicted. I didn't have abs in high school, but have them at 32!

[AlexHop]

Thanks! 20 years ago, I realized that I was addicted to sugar in all its forms (molasses, honey, etc.). Sugar was devastating my health--I was overweight, pre-diabetic, and having trouble with cavities. I also obsessed about food issues, with lots of guilt and unhappiness.

So, I stopped eating sugar in all its forms. It was hard, but only for a few weeks. After quitting for years at a time, I relapsed a few times--thinking, like an alcoholic, that I could eat just a little sugar. But, due to the build-up of tolerance, a little sugar led to a lot. I, finally, realized that I could never eat sugary sweets again. I eat mostly unprocessed foods and avoid as much as possible the sugar in salad dressings, etc. I use stevia as a sweetener, which gives me no health problems and has 0 calories.

I'm 70 now. My weight is normal; I'm extremely active and healthy--I take no medications at all. Not eating sugar has freed me from food hangups and health problems. If you want the details of why Lustig is so anti-sugar, read his book "The Hacking of the American Mind."

[dirkmoore]

"Real food doesn't come with a label."

[jeffreyphillips]

I quit all types of sugar including fruit in November 2019. 3.5 months later I'm nearly 40lbs lighter. I work out 5 days a week, eat mostly protein and veggies, and I'm 71 years old. Started at 235lbs, now down to 195lbs, im 6' tall, medium build, in great shape, and it started by not eating sugar. Amazing

[Komso]

Mr. Robert Lustig, you have my greatest respect. Amazing speech. I heard decades of dedication behind every Sentence. Blessed to have stepped upon your video.

[PetraTodd]

In Chile they clearly label high sugar food as being hazardous in the same way as they do for cigarettes. And the food companies have responded by decreasing sugar to avoid the labeling. We could use that here.

[gekiryudojo]

there are 56 names for Sugar.  the first one should be POISON. 

[prisilagotay]

Beautiful message! I'm very happy for the exposure of such an important information. I'm an 81 year old lady, who decided 30 years ago to study on my own why I was experiencing some awful symptoms. In the beginning, I presented them to my doctor, his treatment didn't work. So I decided to read about some posible solutions. I happened to find a company that distributes some natural products, but they also educate about how to change our eating habits, excercise, and have a positive mental attitude. Ever since I became a constant client. I decided to follow their advice. I also started to use their wonderful products for all those years. Ever since, when I go for my routinary check up, doctors are amazed to see an old lady that has no kinds of ailments. I'm saying this to support your wonderful mission to awaken up the citizens to go back to normal. Keep up your good work!

[KoljaBeckmann_music]

Followed his recommendations. No Sugar. No Alcohol. And I wasn't eating that much. But sugar was hidden in all the food. Lost 10cm round the belly while eating like crazy. Only the right things! Lustig is a GENIUS!

[lindiwephafudi]

I stopped having sugar and processed foods.
I had no period cramps at all this month. And I lost 13kg in 3 weeks.
I will continue with this lifestyle as I feel good🙂.... And bloating has fallen💗

[timwrightfamily]

I feel so lucky my mom in a wild experiment in the late 70s took us off sugar for two years. Completely changed my path towards being heavy my whole life.

[dillamadukes]

This was a powerful speech. I'll be paying much closer attention to what I eat moving forward.

[deborahmcleod-morris]

3 weeks ago, I cut out all sugar out of my diet. I went on a low carb/high fat diet. some call it a keto diet. I have lost 15 lbs., my energy is up, my auto-immune symptoms are going way down, I have my life back. It's not that hard to do, there are many substitutes for sugar, erythritol, stevia, etc. My husband has also lost the same amount of weight, and his afternoon slumps are gone, his skin looks brighter, we're both happier. I didn't realize just how bad sugar was for our bodies til we adopted this way of eating and eliminating sugar and all but 20 grams of carbs per day.

[rogershirley]

Superb talk by a clever and passionate human being. Ignore his advice at your peril.

[johnshrader]

What an excellent speaker! Diction, tone and timing is first rate. And the message-over consumption of sugar is a public health crisis, is well argued.

[JConestar]

Why does this only have 1.5M views? This is one of the most truthful and impactful Ted talks ever.

[judymanning]

Love this man's morals and integrity

[larry]

I've just adapted the Keto Diet + Intermittent Fasting. My psoriasis (which I had for 6 months) disappeared within 2 weeks. Society needs a paradigm shift in what we think about food. The industry has literally poisoned us for years. I'm so glad that many of us on the internet are connecting and waking up. I wish the best for all.