High Fructose Corn Syrup Health Effects

High blood sugar contributes to heart disease. Furthermore  Diabetes Type II (DM2) is a disease that is caused by lack of physical activity and consumption of too much sugar. Unfortunately, because DM2 tends to run in a family, most people think that this type of diabetes is genetic, but its not.

If you have multiple people in your family that are diagnosed with DM2 it means that you guys are eating the same thing. It also can be because the way you prepare your food is passed down from generation to generation. You will also pass down what you eat and how you prepare you food to your children as well.

As you become more health conscious you will start reading labels on your food and drinks. However you might miss the not so obvious “sugars” like High Fructose Corn Syrup. Don’t be mislead by the word “corn” in the name. It is made from cornstarch and is cheaper than sugar hence it’s popularity in processed food.

High fructose corn syrup health effects are similar to sugar. Too much high fructose corn syrup can lead to DM2, obesity, high triglyceride and Metabolic Syndrome. Studies also suggests that too much HCF can impair cognitive function resulting in memory loss and

Look at just about any can of soda or box of candy, and you’ll see one ingredient dominate: high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Given that it’s so common, it’s not surprising that there’s a lot of misinformation about it floating around, some of which can be dangerous to your health. Check out the truth behind these three myths so you can make the right choices at the grocery store.

Myth #1: High Fructose Corn Syrup is natural!

Yes, it does come from corn, which is natural. But unlike other kinds of sugar on the market, it’s not simply extracted, then used. The key is in the first half of the name, “high fructose.” Normal corn syrup, which is just boiled-down corn juice (yes, sounds delicious), is mostly glucose, a type of sugar quite common in nature. To make it sweeter, the corn starch is extracted, then processed by first adding an acid and a couple of enzymes that turn some of the sugars into fructose, another type of sugar. Does that sound “natural” to you?

Industry lobbyists have been trying for years to get the FDA and other organizations to label HFCS “natural,” and food companies have run ad campaigns depicting sodas and other HFCS-sweetened products as “natural.” But the FDA does not have any kind of official designation for natural foods and has so far not made any announcement regarding HFCS. Given that there are many steps between the farm and the end product, it’s safe to say that HFCS is not natural by any stretch.

Myth #2: You can avoid high fructose corn syrup by not eating junk foods or drinking soda.

Think you’re being healthy because you’re eating yogurt? Check the ingredients; it could have as much sugar as the ice cream you swapped it for! Same with the tomato sauce on your pasta or pizza, and the ketchup and barbecue sauces you put on your burgers. Food companies have figured out that people have a sweet tooth and have actually discovered certain “bliss points,” exact amounts of sweetness that keep you coming back for more. And since HFCS is so cheap, it’s easy to add to almost anything, even if it seems like a health food. So always look at the ingredients of anything you buy – you’ll be surprised where you find HFCS!

Myth #3: “Real Sugar” is better than high fructose corn syrup.

The fact is that “real sugar” is more a marketing ploy than anything. Usually what it means is that the food has been sweetened with sugar that comes from either cane or beets, rather than corn. And while it’s true that it has a different chemical composition, it’s still sugar, and the body still treats it in much the same way. In fact, the version of Coca-Cola with “real sugar” that you can buy has the same amount of sugar (39g, or about 10 teaspoons) as the HFCS version, but 10 more calories!

There is one way to get your sugar fix and feel a little better: fresh fruit. The naturally occurring sugars in fruit are paired with fiber that makes you body digest everything a little more slowly, helping avoid a big bomb of calories and carbs all at once. But that fiber isn’t present in juice or other processed products derived from fruit, so you’ll have to go straight to the source. And definitely don’t go for the canned stuff sitting in sugary syrup!