| High Fructose Corn SyrupBefore we get to high | | | | turn off the appetite and control body |
| fructose corn syrup (HFCS), we will take a | | | | weight. Also, fructose does not suppress |
| look at two other frequently used sweeteners, | | | | ghrelin, a hormone that works to increase |
| dextrose and maltodextrin.DextroseDextrose is | | | | hunger. This interesting work is being done |
| more or less an industry term for glucose. | | | | by Peter Havel at UC Davis.Some of the |
| Glucose isthe most prevalent sugar in the | | | | problems associated with high fructose corn |
| human and the only molecule that the brain | | | | syrup:Increased LDL's (the bad lipoprotein) |
| can metabolize. Dextrose is refined from corn | | | | leading to increasedrisk of heart |
| starch. It has a very high glycemic index (no | | | | disease.Altered Magnesium balance leading to |
| surprise since it is glucose) and while it | | | | increased osteoporosis.Increased risk of |
| contains no fructose, it is still a simple | | | | Adult Onset Diabetes Mellitus.Fructose has no |
| sugar that is very readily absorbed. It is | | | | enzymes or vitamins thus robbing the body |
| not as dangerous as sucrose but it still is a | | | | ofprecious micro-nutrients.Fructose interacts |
| highly processed product that should be | | | | with birth control pills and can |
| avoided.MaltodextrinMaltodextrin is also a | | | | elevateinsulin levels in women on the |
| refined product usually made from either corn | | | | pill.Accelerated aging.Fructose inhibits |
| or potatoes. It is multiple glucose units | | | | copper metabolism leading to a deficiencyof |
| somewhat loosely hooked together (a polymer). | | | | copper, which can cause increased bone |
| Because the bonds between the glucose units | | | | fragility, anemia, ischemic heart disease and |
| are very weak, it is also very readily | | | | defective connective tissue formation among |
| absorbed and has a very high glycemic index. | | | | others.The list below is from The San |
| Like dextrose it should be avoided as much as | | | | Francisco Chronicle February 18, 2004"How |
| possible. It has been called a "sugar | | | | much is too much?The list below shows how |
| substitute"but that is based on a rather | | | | much sugar, mostly in the form of high |
| strict definition of sugar as "sucrose." It | | | | fructose corn syrup, is in each of these |
| is a very common additive and I have found it | | | | single servings.Sunkist soda: 10 1/2 |
| in many packaged foods, including potato | | | | teaspoons of sugarBerkeley Farms low-fat |
| chips.High Fructose Corn SyrupHigh fructose | | | | yogurt with fruit: 10 teaspoons of |
| corn syrup is made by treating corn (which is | | | | sugarMott's applesauce: 5 teaspoons of |
| usually genetically modified corn) with a | | | | sugarSlim-Fast chocolate cookie dough meal |
| variety of enzymes, some of which are also | | | | bar: 5 teaspoons of sugar1 tablespoon |
| genetically modified, to first extract the | | | | ketchup: 1 teaspoon of sugarHansen's Super |
| sugar glucose and then convert some of it | | | | Vita orange-carrot Smoothie: 10 teaspoons of |
| into fructose, since fructose tastes sweeter | | | | sugar"Today's health tip:Cut down or stop any |
| than glucose. The end result is a mixture of | | | | food or drink with high fructose corn |
| 55% fructose and 45% glucose, that is called | | | | syrup.High fructose corn syrup is made from |
| "high fructose corn syrup." Improvements in | | | | genetically modified corn treated with |
| production occurred in the 1980's making it | | | | genetically modified enzymes.Stop or limit |
| cheaper than most other sweeteners. I | | | | all foods with either dextrose or |
| remember in the 1980's when the price of | | | | maltodextrin.Once again, read all your food |
| Pepsi dropped from about $3 for a sixpack to | | | | labels carefully.Consumption of the limited |
| about $1.50. In 1966 refined sugar such as | | | | amounts of fructose that occur in fresh whole |
| sucrose was the was the leading sweetener / | | | | organic fruit is not a |
| additive. In 2001 corn sweeteners accounted | | | | problem.Reference:Stryer Biochemistry Fourth |
| for 55% of the sweetener market. Consumption | | | | Edition"Sugar coated |
| of high fructose corn syrup went from zero in | | | | |
| 1966 to 62.6 pounds per person in 2001. A 12 | | | | We're drowning in high fructose corn syrup. |
| ounce soda can contain as much as 13 | | | | |
| teaspoons of sugar in the form of high | | | | Do the risks go beyond our waistline?" |
| fructose corn syrup.Once again, the dangerous | | | | |
| combination: fructose and glucose.When high | | | | Kim Severson, San Francisco Chronicle Staff |
| fructose corn syrup breaks down in the | | | | |
| intestine, we once again find near equal | | | | Writer |
| amounts of glucose and fructose entering the | | | | |
| bloodstream. As covered in recent | | | | Wednesday, February 18, 2004Kick the "sugar |
| newsletters, the fructose short-circuits the | | | | habit" with the only diet that is 100% |
| glycolytic pathway for glucose. This leads to | | | | Sugar-Free, the MericleDiet. |
| all the problems associated with sucrose. In | | | | |
| addition, HFCS seems to be generating a few | | | | Make the transition away from dangerous |
| of its own problems, epidemic obesity being | | | | sugar additives to healty "organic" complex |
| one of them. Fructose does not stimulate | | | | |
| insulin production and also fails to increase | | | | carbhydrates easy. To visit the MericleDiet |
| "leptin" production, a hormone produced by | | | | follow the link below: for your attention. |
| the body's fat cells. Both of these act to | | | | |