We all know that when you’re on a diet, you should cut back on the sugar. Yet high fructose corn syrup, which undergoes enzymatic processing to convert glucose into fructose and produce a sweet flavoring, seems as though is in seemingly EVERYTHING. From sodas and cookies to salad dressing and yogurt, high fructose corn syrup lurks in tons of foods and beverages. What’s worse is that it turns out high fructose corn syrup is WORSE than SUGAR! Yikes!

Researchers at Princeton University recently demonstrated that rats who consume high fructose corn syrup gained “significantly more weight than those with access to table sugar, even when their overall caloric intake was the same.” In other words, high fructose corn syrup is making us FAT.

The Princeton research team also discovered in a SECOND study that consuming high fructose corn syrup in the long-term led to “abnormal increases in body fat, especially in the abdomen, and a rise in circulating blood fats called triglycerides.”

Previously, it was thought that high fructose corn syrup and table sugar were similar — now, researchers say they believe that the body may process fructose and glucose differently than sugar. Excess fructose is metabolized to produce fat, whereas glucose is processed as energy or stored in the muscles and liver.

They also make note of the fact that since high fructose corn syrup was introduced into food and beverages in the late 1950s, U.S. obesity rates have gone through the roof, with one-third of Americans considered OBESE, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“These rats aren’t just getting fat; they’re demonstrating characteristics of obesity, including substantial increases in abdominal fat and circulating triglycerides,” said Princeton graduate student Miriam Bocarsly. “In humans, these same characteristics are known risk factors for high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, cancer and diabetes.”

Bottom line: Avoiding high fructose corn syrup in what you eat and drink is not just extremely beneficial to losing weight, but also to your HEALTH. By sticking with healthful ORGANIC foods, including fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy, and so on, you’ll be keeping this ugly chemical from adding to belly fat or putting further stress on vital organs like your liver.

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Photo: Mel B.’s Flickr photostream/Creative Commons

Tags: body fat, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, high fructose corn syrup, obese, obesity, Organic Foods, Princeton University, sugar, unhealthy eating

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Posted: Tuesday, May 18th, 2010
Category: Healthy Eating, Nutrition