The Toxic Turth About Sugar by Lustig et al.

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“The Toxic Truth About Sugar”, written by Lustig et al. varies in their usage of rhetorical strategies to try to have their readers better understand that sugar, as common as it is, can be very dangerous when a big amount is consumed in one day. The numbers in our world don’t lie: A shocking statistic is that there are currently thirty percent more people who are obese than there are healthy. This discussion arose from the staggering facts that obesity is becoming more of an epidemic than ever before. The United States has a choice to make: Take the steps necessary to slow obesity or do nothing at all, like it feels we are currently doing. This can be a good or bad rush, depending on how you assess the situation. A good example of a logical appeal, also known as logos, is that Lustig et al. clearly argue that sugar “warrants some form of societal intervention”, and should definitely be regulated as much as tobacco and alcohol are currently. Robert Lustig, a clinical pediatrics at the Univ. or California San Francisco, with an emphasis on childhood obesity, also working with two females from UCSF: Claire Brindis and Laura Schmidt also worked with Lustig on the article of The Toxic Truth about Sugar, which was published in a 2012 version of Nature Magazine (Intro). A testimonial appeal stemming from the article, was taken up by Denmark, who, in 2011 said that “any foods high in saturated fat” were to be taxed, and this was passed into law. A secondary testimonial came from the United Nations, which declared that heart disease and “uncatchable” diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, etc. pose a greater risk now than ever before. Another testimonial taken from the text was this: “Western diet is now dominated by “low-cost, highly-proc... ... middle of paper ... ...products, because right now, producers can put unlimited amounts of whatever they please in their products. (par. 14) This essay is not one to be taken lightly, but rather realize that as Americans, we are responsible for our children’s health, and to ensure the future of the nation at a healthy rate, then we must show them that sugar is not as kind as it seems. What will it take for us to realize that sugar is very toxic, and once we understand that, who is willing to step up and work together towards the goal of a healthier America? There are two Americas that we need to work towards for a healthy country: today’s America and tomorrow’s America. Works Cited Lustig, Robert, Laura Schmidt, and Claire Brindis. “The Toxic Truth About Sugar.” The Norton Sampler: Short Essays for Composition. Ed. Thomas Cooley. 8th ed. New York: Norton, 2013. 284-289. Print.

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