What is this sweetener that many unknowingly desire in their modern diet? The sweet component known as sugar has become a necessity in today's society. An ingredient that almost everyone likes. Some might even argue that sugar consumption equates to the same effects an addiction has on the brain. Studies now suggest links to numerous health diseases and how sugar has become a staple ingredient in our diet over the last century. The documentary The Secrets of Sugar, directed by Neil Docherty and narrated by Gillian Findlay, reveals to its audience the harsh reality of the correlations and direct connections of the real impact of sugar affecting the natural functions of our body. The film is aimed at an audience aimed at the everyday individual. It is aimed at any individual who goes out and shops and is not completely aware of the number of grams per serving of sugar that is being dumped into their bodies. It is for those consumers who cannot read a nutrition label correctly. It is for people who have become diabetic etc. and wonder what the underlying cause of their illness might be. It is aimed at the common person who didn't know that the sugar industry has been playing with its consumers for decades and can now make an informed choice. Our society has focused primarily on the amount of fat in our products and neglected sugar consumption, becoming an epidemic in North America. This documentary goes on to express the impact of how the sugar industry prevents raising public awareness about the suggestive side effects of sugar consumption on health and the need to trigger social change for people. The Secrets of Sugar is an inspiring documentary as it examines the evidence supporting the repercussions of consuming high-sugar eating habits, whilst encouraging the need for social change within the food industry. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayCurrently, “great” and “thought-provoking” documentaries can be distinguished by bringing to light a topic that illuminates the viewer's awareness where ignorance previously took up residence. It should open up the viewer's ability to interpret the effect that social institutions have on macro levels down to a level recognizable to the individual. “Inspirational” documentaries give voice to silent topics to be heard by many and to ignite the spark of curiosity and/or the need to create change for the overall betterment of humanity. Both types of documentaries require strong sources to be cited in the film to raise awareness of social change. The quality and credibility of these sources will help lay the foundation for the film's audience to agree with the film's claim. Furthermore, providing credible evidence to the topic will only increase the quality and value of the content being discussed. Now, many in the film might advocate for social changes, such as Dr. Robert Lustig, a pediatric endocrinologist, specializing in childhood obesity as a professor at the University of California, San Francisco, or British nutritionist John Yudkin, both of whom have done research links amid society's sugar-related eating habits becoming a pandemic. As diet-related medical illnesses continue to increase and become an ever-larger problem within society, it is vital to educate as many people as possible about the importance of consumingtoo much sugar in their diet. Until then, many people are so unaware of the marketing and advertising strategy directed by all companies to increase uninformed buying impulses, that without such interference they may not have even considered purchasing that product. The food industry has and will continue to keep society in check. They are the ones who have kept the truth from consumers so that they are able to make informed decisions about which products to buy to benefit their health. All humans should know how excess sugar affects their bodies, how long the food industry has hidden this knowledge from them, and that they are the ones who can bring about social change that benefits the overall health of current generations and future. In the film, Docherty takes the opportunity to set a calm tone for the film, regardless of the heavy subject matter discussed, by implementing precise film and music editing skills. During filming, Docherty focused on making the interactions between camera and interviewee accessible. During all interviews, the lighting is kept bright and the subject remains focused. When necessary to add more emphasis, the setting changes to accompany the ongoing discussion. For example, when Findlay is shown the accompanying documents from The Sugar Industry by Cristin Couzens, the setting is studious in nature, with a wooden table and a backdrop of bookshelves (The Secrets of Sugar). This setup gives the audience a subtle nudge that the topic discussed in this scene is serious and non-trivial. Docherty also uses the soundtrack throughout the film to inadvertently create a distressing atmosphere for his audience. For example, when Findlay begins to divulge information about the 1999 Minneapolis meeting between food industry executives, the music sets the tone to the audience that what comes next will not be beneficial to society (The Secrets of Sugar). Docherty used several cinematic methods as a means of relating an approach to the audience. In this way, Docherty established himself as a credible director who his audience could trust to successfully deliver information, no matter how weighty the subject matter. Sugar has been an important part of the human diet for many years and hasn't been so until recent years. decades in which new evidence about the dangers of sugar, the consequences it has on our health, and the problems associated with sugar consumption has become prevalent. The film features an average family of four, known as Breedon, who like many parents, shops for their family, keeping in mind budget and the convenience of quick meals. This family, like many others, is so unaware of the excessive amounts of sugar contained in so many common food products, “So much of what they eat is processed. They assume it's nutritious, but they've never paid much attention to what's in the food they buy, they have no idea how much sugar is hidden in it” (The Secrets of Sugar). The film depicts a relatable situation for the public shopping for commonly purchased products and, with registered dietitian, Jaclyn Pritchard examines the shocking amount of sugar that is revealed in Breedon's weekly diet. Director Docherty uses this family as an example to demonstrate how the average individual is patently unaware of the amount of sugar hidden in processed foods and Bruce Bradley, a former food industry executive, further comments: "Sugar is one of the essential basic ingredients used in 99% of processed foods available” (Secrets ofsugar). This film shows how many are not aware of how much sugar they are eating and the damage they are causing to their health. The Breedon family's blood tests were taken and analyzed by Dr. Daniel Flanders, who then states after the results come in: “His [Jonathan Breedon's] results suggest he is pre-diabetic. That his levels are high and that if we don't make some changes to his lifestyle soon, diabetes will come” (Sugar Secrets). The film uses evidence of the Breedons' usual eating lifestyle, along with their blood tests, to provide the stark reality that they, just like much of the population, are headed down a dire path of health problems. This example probably pushes the audience to do an internal examination of realizing what it is they are actually consuming and are equally shocked and disgusted just like the Breedons when they find out. That all the added sugar hidden in their diet can lead them to health conditions or potentially an early death. Docherty brings in several expert sources in their field to provide their professional opinions on the matter, the most prominent of which is Dr. Robert Lustig. Lustig has become a well-known advocate for scientific investigation into the links between sugar and our health: “Which is worse, sugar or fat? Sugar a thousand times” (The secrets of sugar). Using Lustig's knowledge, through his research at UCSF, the film gives credibility to their thesis that audiences can trust: “And it has been shown that consuming fructose changes the way the brain recognizes energy , all in a negative way. You basically think you're starving even though your fat cells send a signal that they're full. You also get a bigger reward signal. Continues the appetite, continues more fructose, more carbohydrates, generating more insulin resistance. You can see that a vicious circle of consumption and disease is generated: hypertension, inflammation, hepatic insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, dyslipidemia, muscular insulin resistance, obesity, continuous consumption. Sounds like metabolic syndrome to me” (“Sugar: The Bitter Truth”). The film introduces the work of the late John Yudkin, who was a potentially important source who wanted to bring the truth about sugar to the public: “In our first experiments with nineteen young people, the high-sugar diet produced increased blood sugar levels . triglycerides in everyone after two weeks... they gained about five kilos, the level of insulin in the blood increased and there was an increase in the viscosity of the platelets". The film has hosted a number of other doctors or nutritionists continually conducting their own research and almost all of them are coming to similar conclusions that excessive amounts of sugar are slowly killing the human body. The scientific studies cited in the film are in line with the value that the public places on the well-being of their lives. The film aims to demonstrate to the public how easily there has long been a correlation between the consumption of refined sugar and our health. The film continues to stay balanced in presenting an opposing point of view by bringing in a representative from companies like PepsiCo, General Mills, and Kraft to help bring perhaps another perspective to the issue. Findlay interviewed Phyllis Tanaka, Food and Consumer Products Canada (representing the companies mentioned above) and gives the other side of the argument the opportunity to clarify some of Findlay's concerns: “At this point, I feel comfortable with say that science is not there to support a role in chronic disease” (The Secrets of Sugar). Although Findlay remains composed and..