The Truth About High Fructose Corn Syrup

The new commercial about high fructose corn syrup is leaving out some important truths. The commercial makes you think that high fructose corn syrup is just a natural product and you should be able to consume it without concern.  However, Gabe Mirkin, MD can shed some light on the possible negative effects of high fructose corn syrup and I want you to know what he has to say.  You need to have all the facts in order to make an educated decision. In an article by Gabe Mirkin, MD, he writes, “Evidently something in soft drinks makes people eat more food than they would otherwise.  High fructose corn syrup may be that factor.  It is the leading sweetner in the US today with 4.5 billion dollars worth sold each year.  Several recent studies have shown that fructose is processed differently in the body than the far more common sugar, glucose.  Glucose causes the pancreas to release insulin which drives sugar from the bloodstream into cells.  Glucose causes fat cells to release leptin that makes you feel full so you eat less.  Glucose prevents the stomach from releasing ghrelin that makes you hungry.  Fructose does not react the same way. This mean that fructose increases hunger to make you eat more.  Futhermore, the liver converts fructose far more readily to a body fat called triglyceride, that it does with glucose.  High triglyceride levels raise blood levels of the bad LDL cholesterol and lower blood level of the good HDL cholesterol, which increases heart attack risk.”

“Recent data shows that large amounts of fructose cause insulin resistance, impair glucose tolerance, produce high levels of insulin, raise triglycerides, and cause high blood pressure in animals.”  All this has not yet been replicated in humans, but there is enough evidence to know that there are adverse effects on th human body and certainly, there are better options out there.  High fructose corn syrup is found in almost all soft drinks and fruit beverages, not to mention hidden in many processed foods.  Always read the ingredient list in the products you;re thinking of purchasing, be an educated CONSUMER.