A refusal to embrace simplicity in taste — and an unbridled craving for sweetness — is a deeply concerning phenomenon. Perhaps fueled by the influence of popular culture, we have come to equate all feelings of joy with the word sweet. From early childhood, as the human brain develops, the equation of happiness with sweetness becomes entrenched in some minds. Indeed, there is scientific evidence that sweet foods can transiently improve mood.
But for many, the pursuit of happiness — of pleasure — seems inseparable from sugar, day in and day out. Breakfast often begins with a hot drink and thickly jammed toast; lunch and dinner come with oversized portions of rice and dishes drenched in sweet sauces. At the neighborhood mamak stall, many cannot imagine eating roti canai without dipping it in sugar. And of course, one cannot overlook the cloyingly sweet beverages that have become ubiquitous. Over the course of a single day, even without measurement, it is certain that such individuals exceed the World Health Organization’s recommended daily sugar limit of 50 grams.
Those who habitually consume sweets often feel parched, reaching reflexively for ice-cold sodas to “quench” their thirst — yet, paradoxically, the more sweet drinks they consume, the thirstier they become.
British physician Dr. Suneel Dhand once shared online his shock at seeing a prominent health website advise diabetics and prediabetics to freely consume white bread and carbohydrates “to stimulate insulin secretion.”
His dismay is understandable. The true principle is simple: exercise increases insulin sensitivity, enabling the body to manage dietary sugars more effectively; a balanced, low-sugar diet complements this, helping maintain health.
But understanding this principle is one thing; putting it into practice is quite another. Life is rarely simple. Ask any fitness enthusiast, and you will likely hear stories of people who reward their workouts with sugary drinks, under the mistaken belief that exercise “burns off” sugar — only to replenish those calories with refined sugars. In some cities, marathon runners gather every weekend less for the running itself than for the post-run feast.
Even some vegetarians, though avoiding meat, can consume alarming quantities of sugar: in all-you-can-eat restaurants, they may work through plates of noodles and fried rice, followed by sweet soups, biscuits, cakes, and sugary drinks. The real question is not whether the meal was meatless, but how much sugar was ingested. Left unchecked, such habits inevitably exact a price — for cancer cells thrive on sugar. Everyone knows, deep down, what they are feeding.
As Dr. Chen Junxu aptly describes it: this is “bombarding the mitochondria.”
Former Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin often remarked in his lectures and interviews that chronic diseases are a defining challenge of modern societies. If an aging population becomes dependent on the healthcare system to manage widespread diabetes, the burden will be overwhelming. Rather than waiting until wounds refuse to heal, ulcers develop, and amputation becomes necessary, it is far wiser to start now — by reducing dietary sugar.
Thankfully, I still prefer the subtlety of blandness. In the morning, I savor a cup of unsweetened coffee, followed in the afternoon by a steaming green tea, and in the evening a glass of lemon water. That, too, brings joy.
