What If There Was No Sugar in the World?

WHAT IF

Could we survive in a sugarless world?

Transcript

00:00 Got a sweet tooth?

00:04 Are you always looking forward to dessert?

00:07 Need double sugar in your coffee?

00:10 This sweet crystal is everywhere.

00:13 It's in our food.

00:15 It's in our culture.

00:16 It's in our DNA.

00:18 What would your life be like

00:20 if there was no sugar in the world?

00:23 Well, it would affect more than your cravings.

00:26 It would change our history,

00:28 our economy,

00:30 and even our bodies.

00:32 So what would happen if it disappeared?

00:36 And how did we get hooked on sugar in the first place?

00:40 This is WHAT IF,

00:42 and here's what would happen

00:43 if there was no sugar in the world.

00:46 We need sugar.

00:48 No sugar means no life, period.

00:52 Before we dig into what would happen if it disappeared,

00:55 let's define what we mean by no sugar.

00:58 Sugar is made up of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen atoms,

01:03 putting it in the category of carbohydrates,

01:05 or more affectionately, carbs.

01:09 Now, carbs get a bad rap,

01:10 but there are some good ones,

01:12 like those found in beans,

01:14 whole grains, and fruits and vegetables.

01:17 These have vital nutrients to keep your body functioning.

01:20 But let's crack open a diet WHAT IF

01:23 and imagine that all those sugar-based carbs were gone.

01:27 What would happen if we removed all sugar?

01:31 If sugar, all sugar, on the planet was instantly removed,

01:35 we'd essentially be sucking our DNA dry,

01:38 slowly crumbling to dust,

01:41 along with every other breathing life form on the planet.

01:44 Without carbohydrates doing their job of releasing glucose,

01:48 your body would start to look for different sources of energy.

01:52 It would start consuming your fats and your proteins.

01:55 In effect, your body would be eating itself from the inside out.

01:59 Things would be bitter, to say the least.

02:03 But carbs aren't the type of sugar that inspired you to click on this video.

02:07 Let's talk about the disappearance of refined sugar.

02:10 The dominant force in the world of refined sugar production is sugar cane.

02:16 In 2018, it was estimated that nearly 2 billion tons of sugar cane

02:20 were produced globally.

02:22 But what if it wasn't?

02:25 Well, we could be looking at a world full of healthier people.

02:29 In countries that rely economically on sugar-based carbs,

02:32 you'll find high levels of heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer.

02:37 Take refined sugar out of the picture,

02:38 and you could look forward to less strain on the healthcare system.

02:42 And while it's a matter of some debate,

02:45 studies theorize that sugar is just as addictive as cocaine.

02:49 With refined sugar removed from the world,

02:52 problems like sugar addiction would be removed with it.

02:56 And hey, it would also help the environment.

02:59 According to the World Wildlife Federation,

03:02 there are a dozen countries that use 25% of their available agricultural land

03:06 for the production of sugar cane.

03:09 This takes quite a toll on their ecosystems.

03:12 On the flip side, losing income from sugar

03:15 may throw some countries' economies off balance.

03:18 Sugar supplies the world with 20% of the caloric content in people's diets.

03:24 Because of this, it's a dominating force in the global economy.

03:28 So how did we get hooked on sugar in the first place?

03:32 Well, our cave-dwelling ancestors didn't start out munching on sugar-filled treats.

03:37 But since the beginning,

03:39 humans have been consuming sugar through fruits and honey.

03:42 So your sweet tooth is as old as humanity itself.

03:46 Large-scale sugar cane cultivation began in the 15th century.

03:49 But the sugar rush really started in 1647,

03:53 when sugar cane was exported from the Caribbean.

03:57 Elusive and expensive, it was seen as a luxury for the elite.

04:01 Europeans went crazy for it,

04:03 eating sugar until their teeth rotted out,

04:05 just to prove to peasants that they could afford it.

04:09 So all things considered,

04:12 what if there really was no sugar in the world?

04:14 Well, less sugar generally means healthier people.

04:18 The alternative would be to use artificial sweeteners.

04:21 But you wouldn't have free reign to drink all the diet soda you want.

04:25 You'd still have to deal with aspartame, saccharin, and sucralose,

04:28 which have all been tied to weight gain.

04:32 We can't get rid of sugar completely,

04:34 but what if we were to get rid of spices?

04:37 Or just salt?

04:40 Well, that's a story for another WHAT IF.

04:44 (upbeat music)

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