Wellness with Age: ‘Sugar Blues’ — a book review

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, June 17, 2026

In 1975 William Dufty published a book titled “Sugar Blues.” The book contains a complete history of white, granulated sugar starting with the beginning of civilization and ending with the modern-day (1970s) use of sugar.

Dufty, an award-winning writer, musician and activist, uses the first chapter to share his story and the effects sugar had on his life.

Starting with the second chapter, he begins writing an intense history of the sugar trade from earliest recorded times.

The Persian empire is credited for perfecting the first refining of white sugar, sometime after 600 A.D. Sugar used to be so rare that the costs to purchase it were astronomical. Doctors used it sparingly as a medicine.

It was overwhelming to learn about the role sugar played in most of history’s greatest political events. Three examples are The Holy Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition and the witch hunts. Later, when Europe began harvesting sugar cane, a thriving slave trade developed long before America was discovered.

According to Dufty’s research, natural sugar beet growing in the field registers 8,500 units of healthy radiant energy and refined beet sugar registers zero.

After kicking his sugar addiction, Dufty went on the Macrobiotic diet. This eating plan is similar to the Mediterranean diet, yet is more restrictive. He claimed eliminating sugar and starting the Macrobiotic diet saved his life.

Reading “Sugar Blues” was an eye-opening event and it would take several pages to give a truly accurate book review.

The book is out of print but there are still copies available online. Those interested in obtaining a copy can contact Caitlin at Pacific Mist and she will be happy to order you a copy.

After reading “Sugar Blues,” I did more research and learned that today’s experts, using high-tech diagnostic machines and clinical trials, support every statement written in this book written 50 years ago.

White sugar is sucrose which is a two-molecule sugar — one glucose and one fructose. The body can only use the single molecule glucose for energy, so before the body can use sucrose it must separate the two molecules. Once they are separated the glucose absorbs directly into the bloodstream while the liver must process the fructose which is stressful as the liver processes fructose the exact same way it processes alcohol.

For clarification, this is for refined fructose only. Natural, unrefined fructose, such as an apple, has water, fiber and nutrients which are much easier to digest than harsh refined sugars.

The physiology of sugar addition is simple. Sugar gives the body a quick burst of energy, triggering the dopamine reward and feel-good centers in the brain. This in turn causes the body to release more insulin, which in turn causes blood sugar levels to drop rapidly, creating a depressed feeling. This crash causes the body and brain to crave more sugar in order to fix the problem. Over time this yo-yo affect can lead to mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.

The good news is that sugar addition is easy to overcome. All that is needed is a healthy diet with protein, healthy fats and fiber; quality sleep; moderate exercise; and staying hydrated. The best part is these changes can happen gradually.

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