"The pharmacologically active ingredient of coca is the cocaine alkaloid, which is found in the amount of about 0.3 to 1.5%, averaging 0.8%" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coca
Can you clarify what your argument is?
2. On the other hand, sugars have a very important purpose in the body and is present in fruits/vegetables.
3. Like my comment states, prolonged abuse of sugars certainly have negative effects, but as evident from the comment chain, people argue that any and all use of sugar is bad. That's the kind of coarse thinking that I think is harmful.
"Cocaine is not a naturally occurring compound but one generated through a synthetic process specifically to inhibit re-uptake of certain neurotransmitters"
No, cocaine is extracted from coca leaves, it is not synthesized. Refined sugar is also extracted from plants - same thing.
I do know that cocaine alkaloids are extracted from plants. Sugar is not necessarily extracted from plants. Its not the same thing. You can simply eat 1-2 servings of most fruit to get the same amount of sugar as a can of soda. It doesn't have to be potent to be found in nature.
Still, I don't see where your argument is going, we're arguing about the moderate use of sugar. The incans chewed on coca leaves and it seemed to enhance their long distance endurance. Are you arguing that any amount of sugar is de facto bad?
You're the one who mentioned refined sugar. Nowhere have I said that any amount of sugar is bad. On the other hand, the parts of fruit that are beneficial are not the fructose (which is even worse for you than sucrose, which I assume is what you're talking about) but the vitamins, flavonoids and other compounds.
We can agree that sugar is not de facto bad. Where we apparently disagree is that refined sugar is not bad. I still eat it - doesn't make it good.
I would argue that coca leaves are not de facto bad, but refined cocaine is much closer to bad (though I hear it's really the impurities in street stuff that are bad.)
2. If you need a source to prove that table sugar is sucrose here it is: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_sugar
3. Finally, you're close to understanding my point (and what I presume is the orignal commenter's).
As far as we know, a moderate amount of refined sugar is not bad once in a while since it helps to increase blood glucose levels like any other source of sugar. (I'm intentionally disregarding the insulin spiking aspect of it here since I've already addressed that in a previous comment.) The fact that you and various other are against moderate sugar consumption (the original commenter's claim), shows how brainwashed the masses are.
Perhaps the invisible hand did demonize animal fats and promote sugar but how is that in any way related to my argument?