Health Food Guide

 

High fructose corn syrup is under scrutiny by many scientific studies today. Few conclusive findings apply to humans, since many of the studies use rats as subjects and pure fructose. The pure fructose doesn't exist in human diets, so it doesn't supply a valid result. High fructose corn syrup is a combination of glucose and fructose, with a little over half of it fructose. This combination creates a different dynamic than merely fructose. The fructose moderates the effect of the fructose and changes the results.

 

There is, however, some validity to the concern over high fructose corn syrup, HFCS, in the food today. First, the inexpensive nature of the HFCS and its long shelf life makes it a prime way to sweeten everything from beverages to items you wouldn't expect, like soup.  Because of this fact, its found in ever increasing amounts in the American diet. Any sugar, even HFCS, increases the amount of calorie intake and contributes to the ever increasing weight gain of the American culture.

 

A study that found fault with fructose using human subjects compared the triglyceride levels after consumption of a drink containing HFCS. Triglycerides are good for the body at appropriate levels. They move the fat throughout the body. However, if you have too many, there are links that indicate that you're a ripe candidate for cardiovascular disease. In the study, 17 obese individuals consumed two identical meals on two separate occasions. The only difference between the two meals was the type of beverage they had with their meal. With one meal, the individuals had a drink sweetened with glucose and the other meal had a drink sweetened with fructose. The elevation of the triglyceride level for the fructose drink was over 200 percent higher for a 24 hour period and even more pronounced on insulin-resistant diabetics.

 

HFCS isn't a natural product. It's a refined liquid that comes from corn starch. It's made in several stages, one of which uses Aspergillus, a fungus, to ferment the brew. There are genetically modified enzymes, the glucose-isomerase and apha-amylase enzymes that make the enzymes more stable when they are subject to higher temperatures. For those who want to avoid foods with genetic modification, anything with HFCS should be on the "no-no" list.

 

There are studies on the difference between glucose and fructose in metabolism. Because of the way that glucose is metabolized, there's a step that slows it with the enzyme PFK, phosphofructokinase. This step actually begins the process of the brain to cause the body to feel satiated. The fructose on the other hand, skips this step and may not provide the message of satiation. Scientists are working to find if this is why American waists are growing faster than the economy. The jury is still out.

 

What scientists know is that sugar is dangerous to the body in excess, regardless of what type it is. Natural sugar is necessary for the body to use as fuel. It's found in fruits that are an important part of the diet. Where it isn't natural is all the hundreds of products its in today, from pickles to baked beans, applesauce, cranberry sauce, canned tomatoes, luncheon meat and of course, those items normally sweet like cakes, ice cream and beverages.

 

The average weight of Americans has been super-sized and it shows no sign in stopping. The ill effects of this show every day as more and more people become diabetic, show signs of cardio vascular disease and develop weight related diseases. Scientists aren't sure of whether the high fructose corn syrup causes many of these problems or the obesity, but you can be sure, the additional sugar adds to the problem.