HFCS, that is High Frutcose Corn Syrup, sometimes abbreviated HFC, is
made from GMO corn.
From there, the news gets worse, unless your loving having to have
medical insurance, and a reason to see a doctor constantly.
And pretty much ANY PACKAGED food from the store, has everything talked
about in this article.
It's your life, it's your brain, might as well use it and read on.
Scott
*Startling NEW Evidence: This Drink Causes Your Neurons to Stagnate for
20 Minutes... *
*Posted By Dr. Mercola
<http://articles.mercola.com/members/Dr.-Mercola/default.aspx>| February
28 2011 | 9,038 views *
<http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/02/26/dr-john-lowe-on-thyroid-disease-part-1.aspx>
_Previous<http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/02/26/dr-john-lowe-on-thyroid-disease-part-1.aspx>_
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The latest Public Service Announcement warning New Yorkers about the
dangers of excessive soda consumption shows exactly how much sugar you
might be inadvertently drinking.
*See All Mercola Videos
<http://articles.mercola.com/sites/videos/home.aspx>*
Glucose and fructose are both simple sugars, but scientists have long
suspected there are differences in the way your body processes them.
In a new study, researchers scanned the brains of nine subjects
after they got an infusion of equal volumes of glucose, fructose or
saline. The brain scans were looking at activity in the hypothalamus, a
part of the brain which plays a key role in setting appetite levels and
controlling production of metabolic hormones.
According to the Chicago Tribune:
/"The researchers ... found that 'cortical control areas' -- broad
swaths of gray matter that surrounded the hypothalamus -- responded
quite differently to the infusion of fructose than they did to glucose.
Across the limited regions of the brain they scanned ... glucose
significantly raised the level of neural activity for about 20 minutes
following the infusion. Fructose had the opposite effect, causing
activity in the same areas to drop and stay low for 20 minutes after the
infusion."/
*Sources:*
Chicago Tribune February 10, 2011
<http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/la-heb-fructose-021011,0,4723004.story>
Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism March 2011; 13(3): 229-234
<http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1463-1326.2010.01340.x/abstract>
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
People everywhere are finally waking up to the indisputable fact that
all simple sugars are /not/ the same when it comes to the physical end
results they create. The latest Public Service Announcement warning New
Yorkers about the dangers of excessive soda consumption is a powerful
illustration of this increasing level of awareness.
When these differences are understood, it's easy to see how and why
fructose---mainly in the form of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS)---is in
large part responsible for the meteoric rise of obesity and its related
health problems.
It's a staple ingredient in a vast majority of sweetened beverages and
processed foods of all kinds, from pre-packaged meals to baked goods and
condiments. And the /number one source of calories/ in America is soda
<http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2005/06/14/calories-america.aspx>,
in the form of HFCS!
*Your Brain Reacts to Fructose and Glucose in Very Different Ways*
This latest study is intriguing, as it shows that the difference between
fructose and glucose is not just limited to how they're metabolized in
your body; your brain also reacts to these two sugars in entirely
different ways.
Nine healthy, normal-weight subjects received either glucose, fructose,
or saline (as the control). Their brains were then scanned to evaluate
activity around the hypothalamus, which is a key player in appetite
control and production of metabolic hormones.
Interestingly, the researchers discovered that the "cortical control
areas" surrounding the hypothalamus responded very differently to each
substance:
·Glucose significantly raised the level of neural activity for about 20
minutes
·Fructose reduced neural activity in the area for about the same amount
of time
·Saline had no effect on neural activity
So, what does this mean?
At this point, the implications of these differences are unclear. The
Chicago Tribune reported
<http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/la-heb-fructose-021011,0,4723004.story>
that:
/"At this point, said [lead researcher] Purnell in a phone interview, it
means nothing more than that the two substances did prompt different
responses in the brain--that the brain did not respond to them
identically. /
/Within some of the "cortical control areas" where differences were
seen, lie some important neural real estate, including *regions where
notions of reward and addiction are processed*. /
/As scientists have a closer look in future studies, they should be able
to zero in on which specific areas are affected differently by the two
forms of sugar."/
So, time will tell what these latest findings really mean, but we
already know that fructose has a detrimental impact on two hormones
involved with satiety and hunger, namely leptin and ghrelin, and that
this influence sets in motion a vicious cycle of hunger, increased food
intake, and increased fat storage.
*Fructose Packs on the Pounds Faster than Any Other Nutrient*
Part of what makes HFCS so unhealthy is that it is /metabolized to fat/
in your body far more rapidly than any other sugar. The entire burden of
metabolizing fructose falls on your liver, and it promotes a
particularly dangerous kind of body fat, namely adipose fat
<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=%22Pharmacology%2C+biochemistry%2C+and+behavior%22%5BJour%5D+AND+2010%5Bpdat%5D+AND+Hoebel%5Bauthor%5D&cmd=detailssearch>.
This is the fat type of fat that collects in your abdominal region and
is associated with a greater risk of heart disease.
Additionally, because most fructose is consumed in liquid form (i.e.
soda
<http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2005/06/14/calories-america.aspx>
and sweetened beverages of all kinds), its negative metabolic effects
are magnified. Because while HFCS has about /the same amount/ of
fructose as cane sugar, the fructose in HFCS is in its "free" form and
not attached to any other carbs.
The fructose in fruits and in cane sugar is bonded to other sugars which
results in a decrease in its metabolic toxicity.
Consuming foods that contain high amounts of fructose---even if it's a
natural product---is, to put it bluntly, the fastest way to trash your
health. Among the health problems you invite with a high-fructose diet are:
·Obesity
<http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2006/07/22/debate-about-dangers-of-high-fructose-corn-syrup.aspx>,
insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome
<http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2007/01/06/sugary-sweet-drinks-bring-on-chronic-disease-later-in-life.aspx>
and type 2 diabetes
<http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2004/05/26/corn-syrup-diabetes.aspx>
·Elevated triglycerides
<http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2001/01/14/fructose-part-one.aspx>
and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels
·Elevated blood pressure
<http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/10/17/Fructose-Tied-to-Higher-Blood-Pressure.aspx>
·Liver disease
<http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2006/11/14/how-soft-drinks-damage-your-liver.aspx>
·Depletion of vitamins and minerals---Unbound fructose, found in large
quantities in HFCS, can interfere with your heart's use of minerals such
as magnesium, copper and chromium.
·Cardiovascular disease
<http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/05/25/startling-research-findings-a-newly-discovered-cause-of-high-blood-pressure-and-obesity.aspx>,
arthritis, gout
<http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/01/19/five-steps-to-overcoming-gout-naturally.aspx>,
and cancer
Adding insult to injury, HFCS is most often made from genetically
modified (GM) corn, which is fraught with its own well documented side
effects and health concerns
<http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2007/08/08/enjoy-pesticides-in-every-bite-of-gmo-food.aspx>,
from an increased risk of developing food allergies to the risk of
increased infertility in future generations.
*Beware: Mixing Fructose with Glucose Increases Destructive Effect*
Fructose consumption clearly causes insulin resistance whereas /straight
glucose/ does not. However, it's worth knowing that /glucose accelerates
fructose absorption! /So when you mix glucose and fructose together, you
absorb more fructose than if you consumed fructose alone...
This is an important piece of information if you are struggling to
control your weight.
Remember, sucrose, or table sugar, is exactly this blend -- fructose
plus glucose. So, the key to remember is to not get too nit-picky about
the names of the sugars. ALL of these contribute to decreased health:
·Sucrose (table sugar)
·Corn syrup
·High fructose corn syrup (HFCS)
·Crystalline fructose
<http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/04/Corn-is-Making-the-US-Unhealthy.aspx>,
and any other high-fructose sweetener they may dream up**
·Natural fructose in the form of fruits, fruit juices, and natural
sweeteners such as honey and agave.
*Is Fructose from HFCS Worse than Fructose from Table Sugar?*
High fructose corn syrup is about 55 percent fructose while table sugar
is about 50 percent. The fructose in the corn syrup is also dissociated
from the glucose, unlike table sugar which has it attached. So HFCS is
clearly worse than table sugar, but not orders of magnitude. It is only
marginally worse.
The MAIN reason why fructose and HFCS are so bad is that in the mid 70s
two things happened. Earl Butz changed the US Agriculture policy to
massively subsidize corn production in the US, and scientists also
figured out how to make HFCS in the lab from corn.
The combination of these two events made fructose VERY cheap. So cheap
that it's put in virtually all processed foods because it is virtually
free and massively improves the flavor of most foods. So if you are a
processed food producer there are virtually no downsides.
So it becomes a QUANTITY issue, and the average person is now consuming
600 percent more than their ancestors did, and some are consuming 1500
percent more. So the /massive increase/ in this toxin is what is causing
the problem. If table sugar was as cheap and used as much it would cause
virtually identical side effects.
*Fructose Metabolism Basics*
Without getting into the very complex biochemistry of carbohydrate
metabolism, it is important to understand how your body processes
glucose versus fructose. Dr. Robert Lustig, Professor of Pediatrics in
the Division of Endocrinology at the University of California, has been
a pioneer in decoding sugar metabolism. His work has highlighted some
major differences in how different sugars are broken down and used
<http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/01/02/HighFructose-Corn-Syrup-Alters-Human-Metabolism.aspx>.
Here's a summary of the main points:
·After eating fructose, 100 percent of the metabolic burden rests on
your liver. With glucose, your liver has to break down only 20 percent.
·Every cell in your body, including your brain, utilizes glucose.
Therefore, much of it is "burned up" immediately after you consume it.
By contrast, fructose is turned into free fatty acids (FFAs), VLDL (the
damaging form of cholesterol), and triglycerides, which get stored as fat.
·The fatty acids created during fructose metabolism accumulate as fat
droplets in your liver and skeletal muscle tissues, causing insulin
resistance and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)
<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20518077>. Insulin resistance
progresses to metabolic syndrome and type II diabetes.
·Fructose is the most lipophilic carbohydrate. In other words, fructose
converts to activated glycerol (g-3-p), which is directly used to turn
FFAs into triglycerides. The more g-3-p you have, the more fat you
store. Glucose does not do this.
·When you eat 120 calories of glucose, less than one calorie is stored
as fat. 120 calories of fructose results in 40 calories being stored as
fat. *Consuming fructose is essentially consuming fat!*
<http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/08/14/some-carbs-turn-to-fat-fast-in-your-body.aspx>
·The metabolism of fructose by your liver creates a long list of waste
products and toxins, including a large amount of uric acid, which drives
up blood pressure and causes gout.
·Glucose suppresses the hunger hormone ghrelin and stimulates leptin,
which suppresses your appetite. Fructose has no effect on ghrelin and
interferes with your brain's communication with leptin, resulting in
overeating.
So, if anyone tries to tell you "sugar is sugar," they are way behind
the times. As you can see, there are major differences in how your body
processes each one. The bottom line is: fructose leads to increased
belly fat, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome -- not to mention
the long list of chronic diseases that directly result.
If you, like so many others, have struggled with your weight for years;
examined your diet; avoided fat and counted your calories, yet not
getting anywhere and wondering what you're doing wrong, please pay very
close attention to this issue!
In many cases the primary culprit is an excessive intake of hidden sugar
in the form of fructose, whether natural fructose (such as agave syrup
or 100 percent fruit juice, for example), or in the form of corn syrup
(or high fructose corn syrup), which is a main ingredient in countless
beverages and processed, pre-packaged foods.
It's extremely easy to consume high amounts of fructose on a daily
basis, especially if most of your foods are processed in any way, or if
you drink sodas or any other sweetened beverages such as ice-teas, fruit
juices and sports drinks. As previously discussed
<http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/04/15/shocking-sugar-content-of-common-food-products.aspx>,
even seemingly "health-conscious" beverages like Vitamin Water
<http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/05/26/what-is-erythritol-doing-in-vitamin-water.aspx>,
Jamba Juice and Odwalla SuperFood contain far more added sugar and/or
fructose than many desserts!
So please, understand that it's not dietary fat that's making you fat.
It's fructose.
*My Recommended Fructose Allowance*
As a standard recommendation, I strongly advise *keeping your TOTAL
fructose consumption below 25 grams per day.*
For most people it would also be wise to limit your fructose from fruit
to *15 grams or less*, as you're virtually guaranteed to consume
"hidden" sources of fructose if you drink beverages other than water and
eat processed food. Remember, the average 12-ounce can of soda
<http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/01/19/what-happens-to-your-body-within-an-hour-of-drinking-a-coke.aspx>
contains 40 grams of sugar, at least half of which is fructose, so one
can of soda ALONE would exceed your daily allotment.
Fifteen grams of fructose is not much -- it represents two bananas,
one-third cup of raisins, or two Medjool dates. In his book, The Sugar
Fix
<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1439101671/optimalwellnessc>,
Dr. Johnson includes detailed tables showing the content of fructose in
different foods -- an information base that isn't readily available when
you're trying to find out exactly how much fructose is in various foods.
I encourage you to pick up a copy of this excellent resource.
Here's a quick reference list of some of the most common fruits that you
can use to help you count your fructose grams:
*Fruit *
*Serving Size*
*Grams of Fructose*
Limes
1 medium
0
Lemons
1 medium
0.6
Cranberries
1 cup
0.7
Passion fruit
1 medium
0.9
Prune
1 medium
1.2
Apricot
1 medium
1.3
Guava
2 medium
2.2
Date (Deglet Noor style)
1 medium
2.6
Cantaloupe
1/8 of med. melon
2.8
Raspberries
1 cup
3.0
Clementine
1 medium
3.4
Kiwifruit
1 medium
3.4
Blackberries
1 cup
3.5
Star fruit
1 medium
3.6
Cherries, sweet
10
3.8
Strawberries
1 cup
3.8
Cherries, sour
1 cup
4.0
Pineapple
1 slice
(3.5" x .75")
4.0
Grapefruit, pink or red
1/2 medium
4.3
*Fruit *
*Serving Size*
*Grams of Fructose*
Boysenberries
1 cup
4.6
Tangerine/mandarin orange
1 medium
4.8
Nectarine
1 medium
5.4
Peach
1 medium
5.9
Orange (navel)
1 medium
6.1
Papaya
1/2 medium
6.3
Honeydew
1/8 of med. melon
6.7
Banana
1 medium
7.1
Blueberries
1 cup
7.4
Date (Medjool)
1 medium
7.7
Apple (composite)
1 medium
9.5
Persimmon
1 medium
10.6
Watermelon
1/16 med. melon
11.3
Pear
1 medium
11.8
Raisins
1/4 cup
12.3
Grapes, seedless (green or red)
1 cup
12.4
Mango
1/2 medium
16.2
Apricots, dried
1 cup
16.4
Figs, dried
1 cup
23.0
*The Way Toward Better Health Begins Here...*
There is nothing benign about the fructose consumption inherent in our
modern diet. It is literally supercharged with fructose, and we're
seeing the consequences of this type of eating in our skyrocketing rates
of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cases of non-fatty liver disease.
Fortunately, there's plenty of good news here.
There IS a way out of this evil circle, and that is a return to a more
holistic diet based on whole foods
<http://products.mercola.com/take-control/>, along with physical
exercise and safe sun exposure to optimize your vitamin D levels.
One of the easiest things you can do to quickly improve your health is
to eliminate all soda and sweetened beverages from your life
<http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2005/05/04/turbo-tapping.aspx>.
I say ALL soda, because even though HFCS is clearly something you want
to avoid, it is still not as bad as artificial sweeteners, which damage
your health even more rapidly than HFCS
<http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/09/15/aspartame-side-effects.aspx>.
Then, since most processed foods
<http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2007/02/01/the-plague-of-high-fructose-corn-syrup-in-processed-foods.aspx>
also contain HFCS, avoiding as many processed foods as possible is your
next step.
If you want an occasional sweetener, I recommend using:
1.The herb stevia
<http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/12/16/stevia-the-holy-grail-of-sweeteners.aspx>
2.Dextrose (pure glucose)
I do not recommend agave syrup
<http://blogs.mercola.com/sites/vitalvotes/archive/2009/06/16/agave-a-triumph-of-marketing-over-truth.aspx>
since it is a highly processed sap that is /almost all fructose/. It is
one of the more seriously mismarketed foods in the natural food world.
We actually did an informal study and found the most popular agave
brands ranged from 59 to 67 percent pure fructose
<http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/07/03/can-this-popular-alternative-sweetener-spike-uric-acid-into-the-danger-zone.aspx>,
far worse than HFCS.
Once you realize the hazards of fructose and begin to avoid it in
earnest, your diet will significantly improve, which is an essential
factor for a long, healthy life.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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