Is sugar toxic?

The New York Times cites Dr. Robert Lustig, who claims that sugar is extremely toxic to the body because it leads to metabolic diseases as a result of excessive fat build-up in the liver. He believes high sugar content is responsible for increased rates of cancer, hypertension and heart disease.

Lustig is against the use of white sugar, brown sugar and high-fructose corn syrup, classifying the various forms of sweeteners to be as dangerous to human health as cigarettes. While many researchers and doctors disagree with Lustig's assertions, people are still advised by the American Heart Association to cut back on daily sugar use, especially in processed foods.