High Fructose Corn Syrup is Highly Unhealthy
Review of Modified Sweetener Reveals Dangers of Fructose Consumption
Sep 24, 2009
America’s most popular sugar substitute is processed from corn, and is made via a process which involves genetically modified enzymes which are applied to transform corn starch to glucose and glucose to fructose, yielding high fructose corn syrup. This corn-based syrup is found in nearly all of processed foods; from juices to energy bars, wheat bread to whipped cream, deli meats to dehydrated fruits. The manufacture of this sugar substitute was discovered in the 1970’s as a cheaper alternative to the use of natural sugars. Since then, the average American consumption of natural sugar has diminished with respect to rising fructose consumption.
Fructose vs. Glucose
Glucose is sugar in its most natural form and thus can be metabolized by every cell in our bodies. In contrast, high fructose corn syrup is sent straight to our livers, where it is absorbed and converted into fat. Remember, most foods that undergo a chemical/enzyme processing is generally something that our bodies won’t understand; this is the case with high fructose corn syrup. We may consume thousands of high fructose corn syrup calories in a day, in our sodas and sandwiches, salad dressings and baked treats. Because our brains are confused by the artificiality of fructose, our bodies continue to crave sugars because the so called ‘appetite center’ in our brains is not powered off. Blood sugar levels increase and insulin is released in our system to metabolize the sugar, causing a surge in energy, followed by a subsequent crash and the return of hunger.
Health Effects of Artificial Sweetener
As a result, we keep eating, and the consequences of over-consumption begin to develop in our bodies; diabetes, fatigue, weight gain, constant hunger, and eventually chronic illness and disease. We begin to feel the effects of a diet rich in high fructose corn syrup, being that our bodies suffer the burden of having to cleanse itself of this toxic sugar substitute, and are typically overwhelmed by dangerous levels of fats. Our systems age prematurely as we struggle to maintain our health and beauty, usually unaware of the harmful culprit we may unknowingly ingest.
Avoid High Fructose Corn Syrup
Though there are television ads sponsored by agricultural and government institutions intended to appease health suspicions, high fructose corn syrup should be avoided, and a healthy diet rich in natural sugars (pure sugar cane, brown sugar), should be adopted instead. Not only will the body begin to restore natural cycles of insulin production greatly decreasing the risk of diabetes, the overall health and balance of the body will respond positively to the lack of artificial sweeteners, specifically high fructose corn syrup. Read the labels of packaged and processed foods, and in avoiding high fructose corn syrup, perhaps a number of other artificial food enhancers will be avoided as well.
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