Bitter Sugar

Discover the bitter truth of sugar, how it affects the body, mind, and society, and learn the sweet way to live a balanced, healthier life.

Yesterday, I returned home from the office and saw my wife’s shopping list published on WhatsApp. The in-laws were visiting as usual when I reached home. I handed the shopping bags to my wife and greeted the guests warmly before heading to shower. The icy cold water hit me as soon as I turned the tap, and I stepped back briefly. When the hot water arrived, a wave of relief washed over me.


After freshening up, I saw my wife signaling me from the kitchen. She glared at me and snapped, “You forgot to bring the sugar…” I apologized, wondering if I had truly missed it or if she meant it as a subtle rebuke. My heart raced as I dried my hair, then I joined the guests. She served them with complete devotion, while I settled among them, feeling the lingering sting of her bitter words.


I joined the guests in conversation to avoid upsetting the in-laws. The discussion quickly stretched across endless topics in our culture. We started with the weather, then moved to politics, and suddenly to health issues. One gentleman said, “Brother, these days every other person suffers from sugar.” Another immediately added, “Processed food causes sugar; people fall ill eating sugar-laden items.” A third shared, “I drink bitter gourd juice daily, and it keeps my sugar in check.” I smirked and said, if bitter things control sugar, what about a bitter-speaking wife at home? How could a husband survive sugar problems with a constantly bitter wife? Everyone laughed loudly, enjoying my comment about sugar and daily life.


I sat there, smiling at everyone, secretly amused by their sarcastic remarks, and began weaving my article in my mind. I thought to myself, these people talk as if sugar is a completely new invention. A thought nudged me… sugar sounds sweet, yet in reality, it feels bitter. The guests discussed bitter remedies like bitter gourd juice, fenugreek seeds, and neem leaves. I wondered if bitterness only reduces sugar or also steals sweetness from the soul. Listening closely, sugar felt like a global conspiracy, hidden in bitter remedies only.


It was time to see the guests off, so I bid everyone goodbye politely. I took a cup of tea and settled at my computer desk. I had already sketched the outline of my article in my mind.


As soon as I switched on the computer, I shot my question straight to Grok. Grok always waits, ready to answer any question I type quickly. I typed…


I asked, “Is sugar the greatest disease in the world?” Grok replied immediately. It said, “No, heart disease is greatest, then comes anxiety, and sugar third.” Hearing this, I felt a twinge of regret and disbelief. Heart disease has always existed, yet people now treat sugar as their enemy.


I thought, no, in my article, I must make sugar number one at least. I asked, “If heart disease and anxiety result from sugar, too?” Grok said, “Yes, you are right, but sugar remains in third place.”


I insisted and asked another question, “Is sugar the fastest-spreading disease today?” Grok replied, “Yes, in speed, sugar truly ranks number one.” Hearing this, I felt a little smile on my lips that the foundation of my article was firmly set. Grok gave me the good news that sugar could claim the top spot.


I remembered my guests…one called bitter gourd a natural insulin for sugar. Another spoke, “Soak fenugreek seeds at night, drink in the morning, sugar drops.” The third revealed neem leaves, “It cures every disease, sugar is nothing.” I realized how much bitterness hides deep within sugar itself.


I asked Grok further, “Do these bitter things really help?” Grok said, “Yes, bitter gourd, fenugreek, cinnamon, and black seed help balance blood sugar.” Bitter gourd contains a compound that works like insulin, and fenugreek prevents sugar absorption. Neem leaves act as anti-inflammatory but none of these replace proper medicine. Consulting a doctor remains essential.


Hearing this, I paused and thought, wow, science supports these bitter remedies. Then a question arose…why do people speak bitterly nowadays? Could eating these bitter remedies have made them behave this way?


Thinking this, a faint smile appeared on my lips. Sugar as a disease remains only a symptom of life. The real ailment is the lack of sweetness in our daily lives. In childhood, sugar only meant the sugar we stirred into tea. Now, sugar means diabetes, which makes life bitter and harsh.


Isn’t this nature’s cruel joke? To live sweetly, we must consume some bitterness. Bitterness spreads in society everywhere. In traffic, people hurl bitter words at each other. In offices, bosses speak bitterly to employees. At home, bitterness arises over even the smallest things.


I asked Grok, “Does sugar make people bitter in temperament?” It laughed and replied, “No, sugar affects the body, not the mind’s temperament directly.” It explained, “Bitterness arises from stress, anger, and negative thinking.”
Grok added, “When a person with sugar sees others freely enjoying food, stress increases.” I understood how sugar connects to mood indirectly through social situations and stress.


I already sensed the answer because these two things connect closely. People eat bitter foods to control sugar, and their mood turns bitter. When they speak bitterly, others respond in kind, following Newton’s law…every action reacts. This reaction becomes a chain in society. Eating sweet foods should make a person sweet, yet people speak bitterly. As a result, society ends up swallowing a collective bitter pill.


Millions of people live with diabetes worldwide today. According to the 2025 report by the International Diabetes Federation, nearly 589 million adults aged 20-79 have diabetes, about one in every nine adults. Among them, roughly 252 million people do not know their condition, increasing their health risks. Every year, diabetes causes over 3.4 million deaths globally. The numbers show that diabetes is rising rapidly, especially in low and middle-income countries. If trends continue, by 2050, the number could reach 853 million.


Here, our remedies remain traditional. Grandma said, “Child, chew neem leaves if you have sugar,” or “Drink fenugreek water.” Science supports some remedies, but they are not complete cures. Life needs balance, yet we fail to practice it. We consume sweet foods on one hand, and bitter remedies on the other.


Here’s a new way to fight sugar…stop eating bitter things and reduce weight. Follow your doctor’s instructions carefully. Give time to your loved ones and others around you. Speak kindly, speak less, eat less sweetness, or remain silent if necessary.


Let me share another secret with you…diabetes is not caused only by eating sugar. Anger, tension, and anxiety can also trigger it. That’s why it’s crucial to protect your life from these habits. If you don’t, diabetes can fully take over your body, making you start speaking bitter words uncontrollably. This is the harsh reality of sugar. After that, diabetes can lead to heart disease, kidney problems, weak eyesight, overall weakness, appetite disorders, and a bitter taste in the mouth. All of this is part of the chain of complications caused by diabetes.


So, when you invite guests next time, think about the words you speak as much as the sugar you serve. If we constantly speak bitterly, those words never leave anyone, and even the sweetest food tastes bitter in their echo. Sweet sugar can make life sweet, but diabetes reminds us that too much sweetness can turn into disease. Life appears sweet, yet hides a very bitter reality for all, especially when our own words carry that bitterness. Enjoy your real sweet life.