John Glenn Hill

I don't think I realized how much sugar was in my life until I gave up sweets for Lent.

I go on a walk and outside the grocery store, I see the Girl Scouts pushing their product.

I go to a friend's birthday party and the cake just stares at me from across the room.

I head to the coffee shop, but that matcha latte just doesn't hit the same without a little simple syrup.

Sugar is a boogeyman ready to leap out behind every corner.

But is it really as bad for us as we've been led to believe?

I'm John Glenn Hill, and today on Explain It to Me from Vox, we're going to find out.

Lately, it seems like America has fallen out of love with sugar.

I think of RFK Jr.

on his crusade against it.

Sugar is poison, and Americans need to know that.

And you know, when I open up Instagram, I see all these influencers telling me to avoid it.

If you're addicted to food, it's the sugar.

What happened?

Have we always been so anti-sugar?

That is so wild.

So how long has sugar been a big business?

How far does this go back?

Yeah, it sounds like sugar is wrapped up in all this economic and political power.

It reminds me a little bit of like Big Tobacco.