By Dean L. Jones,
The artist, Kara Walker, laid out an exceptional and immense art exhibit at an abandoned processed sugar manufacturing plant in Brooklyn, New York. The exhibit is inspired by America’s socioeconomic enslavement of black people, where one art piece is a black woman with a scarf tied at the forehead, sculpted in a position like a giant sphinx, 35′ tall and 75′ long, and all coated with 40 tons of processed white sugar. Kara Walker calls this work “A Subtlety” that is making the visual statement of how processed sugar, obesity, race, poverty, and all of the related conditions are still in play today.
Shedding truth and light of cultural awareness through an art lesson in history is profound, as intermittently we need some subtle reminders of how more black people died through enslavement on sugar plantations than in the tobacco and cotton fields, most of which spearheaded by hateful labor laws enforced by American Confederates. The ensuing profits garnered from enslaved labor yielded worldwide sugar consumption―an appetite still growing today. One indicator of how much money is made in processed sugar manufacturing was highlighted when the Domino Sugar Company easily donated 80 tons of sugar for Kara Walker’s giant sphinx and accompanying exhibits.
In view of that, consider abandoning processed sugary-filled food items in order to acknowledge the unnecessary lost lives from this blood commodity called sugar. Transition from eating processed sugar to more fresh fruit that is now an great abundance during the summer months. Such as, strawberries are low in sugar content and are filled with antioxidants, cancer-fighting properties and loads of benefits to keep us healthy. Blueberries are one of the most antioxidant-filled fruits available and are low on the glycemic index, which is a benefit for people with diabetes.
I am constantly giving thanks for my favorite fruit the watermelon that is nearly 82% water, a natural thirst quencher, and easily satisfies a sweet tooth while lowering levels of blood sugar and blood pressure. The best thing is to enjoy a few slices rather than an entire watermelon, which I find hard to resist from doing when they are just 79¢ each at the 99¢ Only stores.
Raspberries (half-cup) contain roughly less than a teaspoon of sugar with plenty of fiber content. Lemons, grapefruits, boysenberries, pineapples, cranberries, mangos, and cherries are each high in vitamin C, with enormous amounts of other benefits from protecting against rheumatoid arthritis, helping eyesight, preventing cancer and even promoting weight loss. Blackberries are great for the heart and fresh figs are filled with fiber and can help to lower blood pressure. Bananas are filled with potassium and grapes can help to lower the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. Being SugarAlert! facilitates in offering some homage to enslavement atrocities and a purpose to abandon eating unhealthy processed sugar-filled foodstuff.
www.SugarAlert.com
Dean Jones, Ethics Advocate, Southland Partnership Corporation (a public benefit organization), contributes his view on health attributes derived from processed foodstuff items.
