{"id":144222,"date":"2025-08-14T04:55:17","date_gmt":"2025-08-14T04:55:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/144222\/"},"modified":"2025-08-14T04:55:17","modified_gmt":"2025-08-14T04:55:17","slug":"half-a-cup-of-sugar-a-day-scientists-take-on-the-latest-controversial-health-trend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/144222\/","title":{"rendered":"Half a cup of sugar a day? Scientists take on the latest controversial health trend"},"content":{"rendered":"

One of Leanne Ratcliffe\u2019s latest videos on YouTube<\/a> sees the health<\/a> influencer flaunting a 25kg bag of white powder to her nearly 800,000 subscribers. It\u2019s a two-month supply of organic sugar<\/a>, which she begins pouring into a sickly sweet smoothie. \u201cWhite sugar is healthy. We\u2019ve been lied to!\u201d she exclaims in another<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Known as Freelee the BananaGirl, the 44-year-old Australian doesn\u2019t just have a sweet tooth. She absolutely canes sugar. \u201cI average about half a cup of white sugar a day\u2026 sugar is our friend,\u201d she tells me. The NHS would have a heart attack at that: the public health body suggests we should limit free sugars to 30g a day, about a seventh of a cup. <\/p>\n

If you were chronically online on Tumblr around the mid-2010s, you might remember Ratcliffe. During this era, the likes of FullyRawKristina and Trisha Paytas made names for themselves by promoting miracle plant-based solutions that shunned cooking altogether and focused instead on consuming mountains of organic matter. For years, Ratcliffe was part of this raw vegan collective, earning her kooky moniker by eating up to 51 bananas a day<\/a>, totalling 5,000 calories and an unimaginable amount of potassium. <\/p>\n

Raised on a farm in Queensland, Ratcliffe ate a traditional omnivorous diet. Growing up, she struggled with anorexia, bulimia, and drug addiction. Her epiphany came during a yoga session with a fruitarian teacher, and she began to blog about the virtues of fruit in 2009, leading to the creation of her internet-famous Raw Till 4 Diet<\/a>, which dictates the eating of only fruit until 4pm, followed by a high-carb dinner. Migrating from YouTube to a then-nascent Instagram, she gained a cult following, amassing hundreds of thousands of followers.<\/p>\n

Unsurprisingly, Ratcliffe\u2019s claims attracted backlash from the outset. Her fruit-based diet has been met with derision by mainstream dieticians, who state that it lacks the protein and healthy fats necessary for a balanced diet<\/a> (Ratcliffe says she does take B12 supplements, but nothing else). \u201cI built my community over the past nearly 20 years by being real, raw, and consistent. I shared my journey, the ups and the hard truths, and people related. I offered an alternative to diet culture and fear of food. Of course, not everyone liked what I had to say,\u201d she tells me now over Instagram, signing off \u201clettuce know\u201d from an undisclosed location in the rainforests of Queensland, where she lives a nomadic and nudist lifestyle.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not only her fruitarian diet that courts controversy. Ratcliffe has previously criticised chemotherapy as ineffective<\/a> (the video has since been removed) and suggested that menstruation is a process of flushing out toxins<\/a> \u2013 claims that have been strongly debunked by medical professionals. On whether she still believes these things, Ratcliffe did not respond. <\/p>\n

Over the past few years, Ratcliffe has gone quiet, posting only sporadically on social media, but now she\u2019s back with full force on YouTube shorts, where glucose<\/a> is very much the focus of her videos. <\/p>\n

Her latest clips see her draw graphs on a whiteboard propped up in front of lush jungle vegetation to illustrate a myriad of bold, wild claims. She believes white sugar has been unfairly demonised. \u201cI call refined sugar \u2018sun crystals\u2019, they\u2019re pure energy, crystallised sunlight from plants. There\u2019s no need to fear refined sugar. The key is to keep fat intake low,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n

While Ratcliffe says she has been \u201cadding refined sugar to my fruit-based diet for over 12 years\u201d, it\u2019s recently become a staple of her online output. \u201cI began sharing the deep science behind it and making powerful connections I have not seen before, and soon others started sharing and repeating what I was saying. The high sugar diet began to gain credibility,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

So why sugar? It\u2019s anyone\u2019s guess. But in many ways, it\u2019s a natural transition from her fruitarian content; fruit, after all, is packed full of it. Creating sugar content is also lucratively sensationalist, going against ingrained health education; with sugar consumption monitored more scrupulously than ever, promoting it is basically counterculture at this point. And, perhaps most importantly, the science is complex enough to warp it at your will. <\/p>\n

\"Food<\/p>\n

open image in gallery<\/p>\n

Food firms have cut salt and sugar levels in their products by nearly a third over the past decade, according to a new report (Alamy\/PA)<\/p>\n

Ratcliffe\u2019s continued popularity speaks to a broader epidemic of huckstering health influencers<\/a>. Many of us, by now, have woken up and smelled the coffee enema; a recent study of young women in the US<\/a> found that almost the entire sample (98 per cent) thought health misinformation was prevalent on TikTok and, more generally, our trust in influencers has waned. That said, many of those who were surveyed felt they were less susceptible to the misinformation than others \u2013 known as a \u201cthird-person effect\u201d \u2013 suggesting that we often think we are immune to believing we\u2019re the sucker. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s why professional health experts aren\u2019t best pleased with Ratcliffe. \u201cIt\u2019s hilarious, if it wasn\u2019t potentially damaging,\u201d says Sandra Sunram-Lea, professor of biological psychology at Lancaster University and an expert in glucose. \u201cSocial media platforms are rife with nutrition misinformation, spread by influencers and other content creators who lack knowledge and qualifications.\u201d <\/p>\n

On the subject of Ratcliffe\u2019s qualifications, she explains that she went to college to study dietetics when she was 20, but \u201ccouldn\u2019t trust an obese teacher who didn\u2019t understand basic human physiology\u201d and later studied advanced nutrition for weight loss at the Fitness Institute of Australia. Her best education, she maintains, has been on-the-ground learning. <\/p>\n

\"No<\/p>\n

open image in gallery<\/p>\n

No sugar coating: Leanne Ratcliffe believes sugar has been unfairly demonised by health experts (Freelee The BananaGirl)<\/p>\n

So how is Freelee misinforming us? The first thing to know about sugar is that it turns into glucose, the body\u2019s vital energy source. \u201cCarbohydrates that pass through the intestines are converted into glucose, then immediately absorbed into the bloodstream,\u201d Sunram-Lea explains. All forms of sugar, whether you\u2019re drinking a Forbidden Apple BuzzBall or eating an actual apple, turns into glucose (the idea that fruit sugar is better than refined sugar is now generally disputed). \u201cAt this state, blood glucose levels are at their highest; these are the blood sugar spikes.\u201d <\/p>\n

This rise stimulates the pancreas to release insulin, which is integral as it prevents the release of additional glucose and allows cells to use it for energy supply. All this means is that sugar is not Satan manifest; it\u2019s necessary. \u201cSugar is not \u2018evil\u2019 \u2013 it’s a rapidly available source of energy, used to get energy to cells during long distance activity and to treat hypoglycaemia in someone with diabetes. It\u2019s also delicious,\u201d says Aisling Pigott, registered dietitian and British Dietetic Association spokesperson.<\/p>\n

But a glut of glucose can be detrimental. \u201cIf we consume too much sugar, excess glucose is stored as glycogen and converted into fat,\u201d Sunram-Lea says. Repeated excess sugar consumption can lead to a \u201cvicious cycle of high blood sugar and excessive insulin production\u201d, which can, in some cases, result in type 2 diabetes. (Ratcliffe, naturally, rejects this idea: \u201cGlucose spikes are not dangerous, they\u2019re natural. Sugar is our friend. What\u2019s unnatural is fearing fruit and sugar while selling pills to replace food and ignoring the role of fat and protein overload in metabolic disease.\u201d)<\/p>\n

Then, there\u2019s the issue of the glucose comedown. \u201cSugar consumption has been shown to lead to a crash in mood and alertness about one hour after consumption. So, if your diet leads to a pattern of highs and lows in blood sugar levels across the day, you will feel tired and less able to concentrate,\u201d Professor Sunram-Lea says. Again, Ratcliffe disagrees. \u201cGlucose is the brain\u2019s exclusive fuel. Restricting sugar leads to terrible mood swings, fatigue, cravings, and emotional instability. The real danger is undereating carbohydrates or sugar, not eating too many.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

It\u2019s hilarious, if it wasn\u2019t potentially damaging<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Sandra Sunram-Lea, professor of biological psychology at Lancaster University<\/p>\n

Something that\u2019s trickier to deny is that sugar is nightmarish for your teeth; it produces acids that erode enamel and can increase the spectre of cavities. Ratcliffe, though, still isn\u2019t convinced, saying it\u2019s a \u201ccomplex topic\u201d and that excess fat and protein can also cause issues. It\u2019s why she liberally pours sugar in every glass of water or smoothie she drinks. \u201cI drink sugar water because it mimics fruit, sugar naturally comes with water in nature. It\u2019s a fast, clean source of glucose and fructose that supports brain, muscle, and liver function,\u201d she explains. It\u2019s enough to make any dentist throw in the bib.<\/p>\n

The experts aren\u2019t drinking the Kool-Aid. \u201cIt\u2019s ridiculous. There is no health benefit to drinking sugar water. Sugar is an energy rich, but nutrient poor, food that lacks broader health benefits,\u201d Pigott says. Sunram-Lea is most shocked by Ratcliffe\u2019s claims that sugar can be a lifesaver for the liver. \u201cI was particularly amused by her claim that sugar water recharges the liver. It\u2019s hilarious, as excess sugar consumption, particularly fructose (that\u2019s the sugar in fruits; and those 12 bananas or whatever she eats as breakfast on top of 1 litre freshly pressed orange juice) has a negative impact on the liver, which can lead to fatty liver disease.\u201d It\u2019s why she concludes that \u201cthere is not an ounce of truth in her claim that a high sugar or fructose diet is good for you\u201d. <\/p>\n

In a sense, Ratcliffe\u2019s journey reflects that of Belle Gibson\u2019s \u2013 a fellow Australian health influencer recently dramatised in Netflix\u2019s Apple Cider Vinegar<\/a>. Gibson, while undoubtedly far more malicious in terms of her deception, once suggested that the vinegar had cured her of cancer. Ratcliffe, of course, is not perpetuating such bold claims \u2013 and it\u2019s sugar, not vinegar, that she\u2019s turned to. Yet, in a paradoxical way, she\u2019s selling something that also leaves a sour taste. <\/p>\n

\"Sweet<\/p>\n

open image in gallery<\/p>\n

Sweet tooth: Sugar produces acids that erode enamel and can increase the spectre of cavities (Freelee the BananaGirl\/YouTube)<\/p>\n

Ratcliffe, though, believes there is an agenda at play. She thinks low-glucose advocates like her online nemesis, fellow influencer The Glucose Goddess, are trying to spin sugar. \u201c[She creates] fear around an imaginary problem (glucose spikes) and sell the solution: expensive anti-spike supplements, useless hacks, and fear-based content. Snake oil has been around forever. Her agenda is the same as most in wellness marketing: fame, product sales, and control. Meanwhile, I\u2019m here to bring people back to what\u2019s real.\u201d Ratcliffe, who sells a range of ebooks priced at $39.95 (\u00a329.75) and private coaching sessions at $450 for 7 days, seems to be experiencing the third-person effect. <\/p>\n

But is there a grain of truth in anything she says? For one, eating more fruit is obviously usually a positive move. \u201cWhat is correct is that consuming the whole fruit (as opposed to a fruit juice) is better as the fibres contained in the fruit lower blood sugar spikes,\u201d Pigott explains. Plus, it\u2019s true that entirely flattening the glucose curve isn\u2019t viable. \u201cIn theory this claim does make sense, and flat lines are not desirable. However, glucose variation outside of a healthy range is often a sign of diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance which is much less desirable, especially if it stays high for an extended period of time.\u201d And to be fair to Freelee, high sugar consumption doesn\u2019t always lead to type 2 diabetes, says Pigott. \u201cIt\u2019s not as simple as x = y.\u201d <\/p>\n

Sugar, according to the NHS<\/p>\n

The government recommends that free sugars \u2013 sugars added to food or drinks, and sugars found naturally in honey, syrups, and unsweetened fruit and vegetable juices, smoothies and pur\u00e9es \u2013 should not make up more than 5 per cent of the energy (calories) you get from food and drink each day. Adults should have no more than 30g of free sugars a day, (roughly equivalent to 7 sugar cubes)<\/p>\n

But, even if there is some wisdom in the misinformation, consuming this kind of sugar content has serious risks. While Ratcliffe herself is always adamant that she doesn\u2019t currently suffer from any sort of eating disorder (in fact, she credits fruit as helping her recover from anorexia) there\u2019s a real risk that her diet can lead to orthorexia, meaning an obsession with eating in a healthy way. Although her own social media channels\u2019 comments are packed full of glowing testimonies, many others have posted online about the nefarious effects of following her diet<\/a>, with suggestions that it has led to vitamin absorption deficiencies and chronic candida (a type of yeast that naturally occurs in the body) overgrowth. <\/p>\n

Pigott thinks there\u2019s an incredibly diabolical example of the halo effect at play: Ratcliffe appears to be incredibly athletic and in excellent health, making her lifestyle potently aspirational. \u201cThis channel is a really good example of how someone who looks good is perceived as healthy. Promoting a large volume of sugar as \u2018health boosting\u2019 is ridiculous.\u201d she says. For Ratcliffe, though, she is adamant that she is taking on the establishment and boosting public health. \u201cI\u2019ve helped thousands transform their bodies and minds through this lifestyle,\u201d she says. Whether you think that\u2019s for the better, or the worse, depends on one thing: have you been sugar-pilled, yet?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"One of Leanne Ratcliffe\u2019s latest videos on YouTube sees the health influencer flaunting a 25kg bag of white…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":144223,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[210,1182,67,132,68],"class_list":{"0":"post-144222","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nutrition","8":"tag-health","9":"tag-nutrition","10":"tag-united-states","11":"tag-unitedstates","12":"tag-us"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115025341653977779","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/144222","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=144222"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/144222\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/144223"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=144222"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=144222"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=144222"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}