The ads claiming high fructose corn syrup is as natural as sugar are misleading. The US corn industry is on the defensive because the word is out–high fructose corn syrup is not handled the same way by the body as glucose, it does cause greater weight gain and it is associated with metabolic syndrome. While it is true that Americans eat too many calories from concentrated sugars and starches, metabolically fructose is more problematic than sucrose. It can hardly be called “natural” either because to change corn starch to high fructose corn syrup requires chemical processing. See greenmedinfo.com and search “high fructose corn syrup” for the latest research and for more information.
Beware of high fructose sweeteners
It is very helpful for both patient and practitioner to follow the results of blood work and other tests when a patient is making changes in diet and lifestyle. The patient will feel better but the improvements we get in tests results over time are confirmation that we are on the right track.
We have observed that patients who consume concentrated fructose have high blood triglycerides and central obesity. These problems often improve once they avoid the high fructose sweeteners. High fructose corn syrup is the most common source of concentrated fructose that Americans consume. It is found in non-diet sodas, many drinks and convenience foods. Bottled juices, most often made from reconstituted fruit juice concentrates, also provide too much fructose at one time for the body to handle safely. Other sweeteners such as honey and agave nectar also contain a lot of fructose so it is best to limit their consumption. Except for vegetable juicing, the rule of “don’t drink your calories” stands as a first step in not only weight loss but getting healthier in general.
For more information on high fructose corn syrup consumption and its negative impact on health, visit http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/04/17/you-did-it–we-are-winning-the-war-on-fructose.aspx
