The Role of Fructose in Health
People are running away from ‘sugar’ as if it has become the ultimate killer. However, regular table sugar (sucrose), when used in moderation, can be a healthy part of a healthy diet.
However, fructose, when not eaten in its natural form of fruit (or used as a carbohydrate source during prolonged exercise), is another story.
An excellent review article, presented in its entirety, addressed this very issue in the October issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
It is not new news that in America, one third of our population suffers from obesity, that children are quickly catching up to this figure, that high blood pressure effects anywhere from one third to two thirds of Americans, and that diabetes is a growing epidemic, which leads to kidney failure, among other complications.
The authors of the review study propose that sugars containing fructose may play a major role in the development of obesity, high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome and in the subsequent development of kidney disease. They believe that fructose may be at the heart of the problem.
Although sugar intake is comparatively recent, the big change was in the early 1970’s, when high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) was introduced. It was found to be cheaper, had a more stable shelf life and was easy to add to soft drinks, fruit punches, prepared desserts and processed foods. All of this has resulted in an increase of overall sweetener intake by 30% in the last 40 years, most of which comes from soft drinks. It is estimated that an average 150 pound person eats/drinks an extra 500 calories a day from these products. A pound equals 3500 calories, so this means that if a person eats/drinks an extra 500 calories a day, they will gain one pound a week. (Thus, on the other end, if you want to lose a pound a week, decrease 500 calories a week!)
So, we know how the extra calories can be pounded into the previously sleek and healthy human body. But how did the researchers conclude that this has all been the result of fructose intake? Let’s consider a few key examples they site in the review:
• Multiple studies have linked increased triglyceride levels with increased sucrose supplementation (for research purposes).
• Multiple studies have also linked increased blood pressure with sucrose intake.
• In multiple studies, fructose has been directly linked to the development of metabolic syndrome.
• Studies have also repeatedly shown an increase in kidney disease development with the intake of fructose.
• Finally, multiple studies have been investigating the role that fructose plays in obesity. The conclusion is that fructose inhibits the hunger rating, tricking the body into thinking it’s still hungry. Consequently, food companies have found that if they add HFCS to foods that normally don’t need it, they can trigger the stimulus for people to eat more of their product.
• Finally, studies have linked the increased intake of fructose to an increase in uric acid. Although most people think of gout when they read about uric acid, the researchers believe that there is a direct link between increased uric acid and heart disease.
So here we are again at that point where we talk about what you can take away from this study. It’s very simple, really. Do you drink sodas? Although most people today might drink diet sodas, and that’s a different issue for a different Health News, if you drink regular sodas today and want to lose weight, start creating a strategy to decrease how many you drink each day. Experiment with waters (calorie-free). Most people don’t drink enough water, and the lack of THAT nutrient also leads to increased disease risks.
What else can you do? If you or your kids drink fruit juices, look at the label. Is HFCS an ingredient? If so, experiment with more ‘natural’ fruit juices that are free of added sweeteners. Also experiment with cooking foods and decreasing processed foods and snacks.
You do have a choice in your health and that of your family. But you have to be willing to take the time to prepare healthy foods from scratch and read labels. What cost are you willing to pay for NOT making these changes?
To read the entire article addressed, click here: http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/full/86/4/899
However, fructose, when not eaten in its natural form of fruit (or used as a carbohydrate source during prolonged exercise), is another story.
An excellent review article, presented in its entirety, addressed this very issue in the October issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
It is not new news that in America, one third of our population suffers from obesity, that children are quickly catching up to this figure, that high blood pressure effects anywhere from one third to two thirds of Americans, and that diabetes is a growing epidemic, which leads to kidney failure, among other complications.
The authors of the review study propose that sugars containing fructose may play a major role in the development of obesity, high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome and in the subsequent development of kidney disease. They believe that fructose may be at the heart of the problem.
Although sugar intake is comparatively recent, the big change was in the early 1970’s, when high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) was introduced. It was found to be cheaper, had a more stable shelf life and was easy to add to soft drinks, fruit punches, prepared desserts and processed foods. All of this has resulted in an increase of overall sweetener intake by 30% in the last 40 years, most of which comes from soft drinks. It is estimated that an average 150 pound person eats/drinks an extra 500 calories a day from these products. A pound equals 3500 calories, so this means that if a person eats/drinks an extra 500 calories a day, they will gain one pound a week. (Thus, on the other end, if you want to lose a pound a week, decrease 500 calories a week!)
So, we know how the extra calories can be pounded into the previously sleek and healthy human body. But how did the researchers conclude that this has all been the result of fructose intake? Let’s consider a few key examples they site in the review:
• Multiple studies have linked increased triglyceride levels with increased sucrose supplementation (for research purposes).
• Multiple studies have also linked increased blood pressure with sucrose intake.
• In multiple studies, fructose has been directly linked to the development of metabolic syndrome.
• Studies have also repeatedly shown an increase in kidney disease development with the intake of fructose.
• Finally, multiple studies have been investigating the role that fructose plays in obesity. The conclusion is that fructose inhibits the hunger rating, tricking the body into thinking it’s still hungry. Consequently, food companies have found that if they add HFCS to foods that normally don’t need it, they can trigger the stimulus for people to eat more of their product.
• Finally, studies have linked the increased intake of fructose to an increase in uric acid. Although most people think of gout when they read about uric acid, the researchers believe that there is a direct link between increased uric acid and heart disease.
So here we are again at that point where we talk about what you can take away from this study. It’s very simple, really. Do you drink sodas? Although most people today might drink diet sodas, and that’s a different issue for a different Health News, if you drink regular sodas today and want to lose weight, start creating a strategy to decrease how many you drink each day. Experiment with waters (calorie-free). Most people don’t drink enough water, and the lack of THAT nutrient also leads to increased disease risks.
What else can you do? If you or your kids drink fruit juices, look at the label. Is HFCS an ingredient? If so, experiment with more ‘natural’ fruit juices that are free of added sweeteners. Also experiment with cooking foods and decreasing processed foods and snacks.
You do have a choice in your health and that of your family. But you have to be willing to take the time to prepare healthy foods from scratch and read labels. What cost are you willing to pay for NOT making these changes?
To read the entire article addressed, click here: http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/full/86/4/899
posted by Margie Geiser, MBA, RD, NSCA-CPT at
6:48 AM
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