JEFFERSON CITY, MO -- The debate over sugar, and its health effects has going on for years. But the label 'toxin' has gained popularity after a video posted on the internet by University of California San Francisco Professor of Pediatrics Dr. Robert Lustig.  in it he compares sugar to cigarettes and alcohol.

But to know if its healthy or not, we have to ask ourselves if we really know what sugar is? Real sugar comes from beets and cane. In most processed foods we buy, they're loaded with an artificial sweetner, "high fructose corn syrup", that is until recently when it became more marketable to use real sugar.

Lindsay Jurgensmeyer is a Dietician for Hy-Vee, she said, "its kind of a marketing campaign, right now there has been no hard evidence that states regular sugar; natural sugar has more of a health benefit than the high fructose corn syrup."

Not only has sugar been called unhealthy but its long been thought of as a dentists worst enemy.

Dr. Jon Ehlers with the Community Health Center said, "anytime you eat sugar, the bacteria on it produces an acid, and basically anytime you eat the sugar the acid forms and it stays in your mouth for about a half an hour after you eat".

But sugar consumption doesn't seem to be on the decline, the USDA says we typically consume about 90 pounds of sugar per year.

But sugar isn't all bad, like everything, in moderation it can have some positive benefits according to Jurgensmeyer, “everything in moderation is the key, sugar is good in moderation just as cookies are ok in moderation and soda is ok in moderation.”

Dr. Ehlers also said, "I think sugar in limited amounts is not a bad thing".

So to answer the question “Is sugar toxic? That's your call. It all seems to depend on who you want to believe.

Original Story:

We all know nutritionists think a healthy diet includes plenty of fruits and vegetables and less red meat and salt.

But with the recent Easter holiday and plenty of chocolate and candy around, have you ever thought about those sugary indulgences being TOXIC?

Sugar is in close to everything and from your kids brithday cakes to your morning coffee. In today's Facebook story of the day KRCG's Daniel Winn asks, is sugar toxic?