When I was younger I remember being warned about the evils of eating too much sugar. “It will rot your teeth,” was proven true by my frequent trips to the dentist office. In the last couple of years I have become more aware of sugar’s impact on my overall health as it relates to controlling my weight and the side effects that come from being over weight (cardiovascular disease, diabetes, etc.). What I wasn’t aware of is the health impact eating too much sugar has on my brain.

I recently read an article, This Is What Sugar Does To Your Brain, written by Carolyn Gregoire, on Huffington Post, where she explains how sugar can literally slow down your brain’s ability to function.

New research has shown how eating a high sugar diet can lead to weakened synaptic connections between brain cells, thus impairing their function. There is also research showing a connection between heavy sugar consumption and Alzheimer’s disease. Think about it. On top of all the other negatives about sugar, we now know eating too much sugar negatively affects brain function.

When I was a kid, as kids are prone to do, I ate a LOT of sugar. Not only from the sugary cereals, candy and soft drinks, but also from the white bread and high starch diet that was normal at that time in my life. Unfortunately, this type of diet is still very common in many schools today--but not at the Antioch School. From growing food in the garden, to eating nutritious snacks, to learning to cook healthy foods, the children at the Antioch School have an in-depth experience with real food. Food that doesn’t come from a box or a can. Food that tastes good and is good for their bodies. This is another example of how the Antioch School teaches to benefit the whole child and not just teaching to prepare for the next test. J.S.