Before the
1970’s, sweetened foods contained sucrose, which was derived from beets or sugar
cane. When you reached for a soda, you were drinking sugar, among other
things. This might not have been the most healthy choice, but certainly not
potentially dangerous to your health. Today, high fructose corn syrup is in
almost everything you buy, from sodas to catsup, and is one of the main reasons
so many people are overweight, diabetic and so much more.
It wasn’t
until the 1970’s that high fructose corn syrup was created from the sugar in
corn. This sweetener is certainly sweet, easy to make and cheaper than sugar.
Many companies jumped on the high fructose corn syrup bandwagon, from sodas to
pasta sauces to catsup to beer – and even so-called health bars. If you take a
look in your cupboard and start reading labels, you will be surprised at how
many products contain this syrup.
Nutritionists are asking people to decrease their intake of high fructose corn
syrup significantly. It is one of the major causes of obesity and diabetes
today. Your body does not process fructose like it does sugar. When you
consume fructose, your body processes it like it would fat, rather than turn it
into energy as it would with sugar. It makes you more hungry, which makes you
eat even more.
Fructose
is a major concern to physicians, who are seeing both children and adults become
“soft,” overweight and unhealthy. In the liver, it creates a larger amount of
triglycerides, which increases the risk of heart disease. Studies have shown
that large amounts of high fructose corn syrup induce insulin resistance, impair
glucose tolerance, produce high levels of insulin, boost a dangerous type of fat
in the blood and cause high blood pressure in animals. When you look at the
health of individuals today, you can see there is not a far stretch from
reactions of animals to a human’s reaction to this dangerous syrup.
With
regards to food allergies and intolerances, high fructose corn syrup is a major
factor in behavior and intolerant reactions in both children and adults today.
The diets of many today include daily sodas, which are filled with high fructose
corn syrup. Juices and juice boxes are more high
fructose corn syrup than juice, so be sure your children are drinking boxes
marked, "100% fruit juice." Snack bars, candy and many other snacks contain this syrup. You
can even be consuming it innocently, while dining on spaghetti, seasoning with
Worcester sauce, or dipping something into catsup. If your child is
hyperactive, unable to focus or often tired, be sure to look at the ingredients
of everything he or she eats. You may find that a significant decrease in high
fructose corn syrup may cause a significant increase in good behavior.
