A typical American’s diet could be labeled as a ‘blood sugar roller coaster disaster,’ because many people are consuming high amounts of refined sugars, flour and saturated fats. These foods cause a rapid spike in blood sugar followed by a drastic decline, resulting in type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high levels of “bad” cholesterol and other diseases and conditions associated with obesity. Today, we spend more time in front of the computer or watching the television and consume empty calories in the form of nutrient-deficient processed foods and sugary drinks.
High Fructose Corn Syrup
Consumption of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has increased 1000 percent between 1970 and 2000 according to the US Department of Agriculture. On average, most children consume between 132 to 316 HFCS calories each day, which is related to the rise in the obesity.
Where do we get all this fructose? It is the primary sugar in found fruit and honey. However, in the 1960s due to the excessive supply of corn, scientists developed a liquid sweetener made from cornstarch called high-fructose corn syrup. Today HFCS supplies almost 20 percent of all calories in the average U.S. diet. About two-thirds of the HFCS created is used in soft drinks. Soft drink consumption increased by 60 percent among adults and more than doubled in kids from 1977 to 1997. HFCS can also be found in everything from candies and baked goods to pasta sauces and salad dressings. It’s also the main ingredient in most ketchup, a favorite condiment among children and adults. HFCS is widely used because it’s cheap and sweeter than sucrose (table sugar). In comparative studies of sweetness, sucrose has a rating of 100, while fructose has a sweetness rating of 173.
High Fructose Corn Syrup and Absorption
Although HFCS is quite similar to sugar in its composition, the body digests, absorbs and metabolizes HFCS slightly differently than sugar. HFCS is processed through an enzymatic action that converts the dextrose sugar (in the corn syrup) into fructose sugar. HFCS is 55% fructose and 45% glucose. Fructose is broken down mainly in the liver where some studies show that high levels of fructose can adversely affect the breakdown of fats in the blood, increasing harmful LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and raising the risk for heart disease.
In addition, unlike glucose, fructose does not stimulate insulin secretion or enhance leptin production. Insulin and leptin work together to send signals to the brain helping to regulate food intake and body weight. Without these signals, the brain doesn’t communicate fullness which may result in overconsumption of calories, according to the American Society for Clinical Nutrition 2004.
Fructose in Fruit:
Should you worry about the fructose in fruit? Definitely not! Over half of all Americans already fall short of the recommended nine servings of fruit and vegetables required per day for good health. Besides, fruit contains more than a small amount of fructose; it also provides valuable vitamins, antioxidants, minerals and fiber. You would have to consume several serving of fruit at one sitting to equally the amount of fructose in one can of soda.
The Sweetness of Sugar
Sugar (sucrose) is made up of a molecule of glucose and a molecule of fructose chemically bonded together. This bond is quite weak, and is cleaved in your saliva and in your stomach, so by the time it gets absorbed into your system, it is already broken down into the glucose and fructose molecules. Thus, every dose of ordinary sugar is equal to a half dose of glucose and a half dose of fructose. Although there are some similarities to sugar and HFCS a Princeton University research team has demonstrated that all sweeteners are not equal when it comes to weight gain: Rats with access to high-fructose corn syrup gained significantly more weight than those with access to table sugar, even when their overall caloric intake was the same.
Final Thoughts
Both excess sugar and HFCS can increase risk for diabetes and heart disease. The bottom line - eat sweet things in moderation and you will be less at risk for disease that comes from sweet things. As Michael Jacobsen, executive director of the consumer advocacy group, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, says, "It simply comes down to this. We're eating too much refined sugars, be it sucrose or high fructose corn syrup or any other refined sugar."
Avoiding excess sugar and HFCS is easy if you choose non-processed foods, eliminate sodas, drink more low-fat milk, choose 100 percent fruit juice, enjoy more water and read the labels.
Enjoy.
High Fructose Corn Syrup
Consumption of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has increased 1000 percent between 1970 and 2000 according to the US Department of Agriculture. On average, most children consume between 132 to 316 HFCS calories each day, which is related to the rise in the obesity.
Where do we get all this fructose? It is the primary sugar in found fruit and honey. However, in the 1960s due to the excessive supply of corn, scientists developed a liquid sweetener made from cornstarch called high-fructose corn syrup. Today HFCS supplies almost 20 percent of all calories in the average U.S. diet. About two-thirds of the HFCS created is used in soft drinks. Soft drink consumption increased by 60 percent among adults and more than doubled in kids from 1977 to 1997. HFCS can also be found in everything from candies and baked goods to pasta sauces and salad dressings. It’s also the main ingredient in most ketchup, a favorite condiment among children and adults. HFCS is widely used because it’s cheap and sweeter than sucrose (table sugar). In comparative studies of sweetness, sucrose has a rating of 100, while fructose has a sweetness rating of 173.
High Fructose Corn Syrup and Absorption
Although HFCS is quite similar to sugar in its composition, the body digests, absorbs and metabolizes HFCS slightly differently than sugar. HFCS is processed through an enzymatic action that converts the dextrose sugar (in the corn syrup) into fructose sugar. HFCS is 55% fructose and 45% glucose. Fructose is broken down mainly in the liver where some studies show that high levels of fructose can adversely affect the breakdown of fats in the blood, increasing harmful LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and raising the risk for heart disease.
In addition, unlike glucose, fructose does not stimulate insulin secretion or enhance leptin production. Insulin and leptin work together to send signals to the brain helping to regulate food intake and body weight. Without these signals, the brain doesn’t communicate fullness which may result in overconsumption of calories, according to the American Society for Clinical Nutrition 2004.
Fructose in Fruit:
Should you worry about the fructose in fruit? Definitely not! Over half of all Americans already fall short of the recommended nine servings of fruit and vegetables required per day for good health. Besides, fruit contains more than a small amount of fructose; it also provides valuable vitamins, antioxidants, minerals and fiber. You would have to consume several serving of fruit at one sitting to equally the amount of fructose in one can of soda.
The Sweetness of Sugar
Sugar (sucrose) is made up of a molecule of glucose and a molecule of fructose chemically bonded together. This bond is quite weak, and is cleaved in your saliva and in your stomach, so by the time it gets absorbed into your system, it is already broken down into the glucose and fructose molecules. Thus, every dose of ordinary sugar is equal to a half dose of glucose and a half dose of fructose. Although there are some similarities to sugar and HFCS a Princeton University research team has demonstrated that all sweeteners are not equal when it comes to weight gain: Rats with access to high-fructose corn syrup gained significantly more weight than those with access to table sugar, even when their overall caloric intake was the same.
Final Thoughts
Both excess sugar and HFCS can increase risk for diabetes and heart disease. The bottom line - eat sweet things in moderation and you will be less at risk for disease that comes from sweet things. As Michael Jacobsen, executive director of the consumer advocacy group, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, says, "It simply comes down to this. We're eating too much refined sugars, be it sucrose or high fructose corn syrup or any other refined sugar."
Avoiding excess sugar and HFCS is easy if you choose non-processed foods, eliminate sodas, drink more low-fat milk, choose 100 percent fruit juice, enjoy more water and read the labels.
Enjoy.
