I first wrote this post one year ago, but I have learned more about sugar and cancer since that time. Cancer cells are "obligate glucose metabolizers," which means that the source of their energy is sugar. One of the most common questions I get asked goes something like this, "If sugar feeds cancer, then we shouldn't eat fruit, right?" My standard answer used to be that any harm from naturally occurring sugars in fruit is balanced by all the beneficial cancer-fighting nutrients in fruit.
Since then I have become aware of some brand new research (it hasn't even been published yet) being done by Dr. Tony Jimenez and his colleagues at the Hope for Cancer Center. They have discovered that natural sugar molecules are "levorotatory" (they spin to the left) while sugar molecules from processed, refined, man-made sugars spin to the right. Guess what? Their research shows that cancer cells only process right-spinning sugar molecules! When I first heard this, I was so excited that I was practically jumping up and down, because it is so cool! It appears that while all bad sugars feed cancer, naturally occurring good sugars do not.
All this time that I've been saying that ALL sugar feeds cancer, I may very well have been wrong--and that is a very good thing! This discovery fits right in with my belief that all naturally-occurring, God-created foods are beneficial and necessary for keeping our bodies healthy. It had always kind of bothered me to think that the sugar in fruit may be causing people to avoid it, when there are so many important nutrients in fruit.
Fruit, especially dark-colored berries, contains many of the nutrients that are most effective against cancer. Black raspberries, blackberries, acai berries, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, sour cherries, and pomegranates are packed full of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and anti-oxidants such as ellagic acid, quercetin, fisetin, and resveratrol. Pineapple core contains the enzyme bromelain, which has proven more powerful than one chemo drug in animal studies. Apples are high in pectin, which has been shown to eliminate cancer cells and prevent them from growing and spreading. These are just a few examples.
The compounds in God-given fruits and vegetables that fight and kill cancer cells do so without harming normal cells, and this "selective cytotoxicity" ability is only found in natural compounds. There is not a single man-made chemotherapy drug available that is capable of having that effect--chemo drugs are indiscriminate in their cell destruction. Again, man has been unable to improve upon what God has already provided. Everything I read continues to reinforce this truth, subsequently reinforcing trust in my all-knowing, loving God, whose ways are far above man's ways!
Following is my original post on sugar and cancer:
Sugar feeds cancer. ALL forms of sugar. But not all types of sugar affect cancer cells in the same way.
Fructose is the worst offender in regard to cancer. Cancer cells specifically use fructose for cell division--which means that fructose causes proliferation (growth and spread) of cancerous cells. Fructose is found naturally in fruit and has a low glycemic index--which leads many people to think it is a healthy sugar. Fructose in fresh fruit is accompanied by high levels of antioxidants and many other nutrients contained in the fruit which mitigate the harmful effects of fructose. Fructose from refined sugars and processed foods is much different. Plus, most Americans consume 300-600% more fructose than is needed--and those excessive amounts of fructose are not due to eating extremely large amounts of fresh fruit! Excessive amounts of fructose cause it to be toxic to the body. Fructose is present in one form or another in at least half--and maybe all--of the top 10 sources of calories in America. (The top calorie sources are 1. Grain-based desserts 2. Yeast breads 3. Chicken/chicken mixed dishes 4. Soda/energy drinks/sports drinks 5. Pizza 6. Alcoholic drinks 7. Pasta/pasta dishes 8. Mexican dishes 9. Beef/beef dishes 10. Dairy desserts.)
Glucose is used as fuel by cancer cells, producing lactic acid as a byproduct. The large amounts of lactic acid produced by this fermentation process is transported to the liver. The conversion of glucose to lactic acid, which is a very inefficient waste of energy, and the resulting build-up of lactic acid results in the creation of an acidic pH in cancerous tissues as well as general physical fatigue. Cancer patients become tired and undernourished, and the cycle continues, causing the body wasting which is common among cancer patients.
The idea that sugar feeds cancer has been around for 80 years, and there have been many tests and experiments over time that prove it. So why don't doctors and oncologists inform their patients of this crucial bit of information? Again, it seems that most doctors have little knowledge or interest in how nutrition and diet affect health.
The following article explains the connection between sugar and cancer in detail with many cited sources as well as further advice for preventing and fighting cancer:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/09/29/is-this-simple-sugar-a-major-factor-in-the-failure-of-the-war-on-cancer.aspx
A video presentation:
http://draxe.com/how-sugar-can-cause-cancer/
Another article:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/09/130916103646.htm
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