fructose

[low_delta]

Fructose may play a role in weight gain. So concluded researchers who conducted a small clinical trial in Minnesota with six healthy volunteers. At different times, participants were given breakfast drinks with varying amounts of fructose. The upshot? The volunteers converted sugar in the drink into body fat more rapidly when as little as half the glucose was replaced by fructose (about the percentage in high-fructose corn syrup). Fruit also contains fructose, but in smaller amounts - an apple has about 11 grams, while a 12-ounce soft drink has about 36. - "Environmental Nutrition" newsletter.

Does anyone wonder why, as our diets becomes lower in fat, obesity rates seem to still be rising?

Comments

[raven-nest.livejournal.com]

WHAT.. are you saying you don't BELIEVE those new commercials stating that high fructose corn syrup isn't "bad"???

Those commercials aren't helping their cause btw.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

There are commercials? What do they say?

[raven-nest.livejournal.com]

There are two so far, one is two women, one is pouring juice and the other says "so you don't CARE what your children are drinking?" "That has high fructose corn syrup, you know what they say about that"

"WHAT do they say?"

Both commercials ask that question and the person asked never answers it, then the person serving the offending food says "That is it all natural, made of corn, and is fine in moderation?" (that last part; fine in moderation is very fast in both) and MAGICALLY the other person is convinced it is OK.

BAD MARKETING!

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

Awesome. :-( Well, at least it will prompt the unknowing to wonder what's wrong with it. And bad news about fructose is only increasing now.

[raven-nest.livejournal.com]

Studies have suggested for YEARS that high fructose corn syrup doesn't trigger our system like "normal" sugar does, that it makes us store fat instead of using it for energy. The other commercial btw is a husband who suggests that his wife no longer loves him because she offers him half a Popsicle with it.

[dwivian]

Studies have shown for YEARS that fructose (HFCS is not any different than any other fructose) doesn't trigger insulin production. This is why it was strongly suggested to diabetics in the 80s and 90s as the sugar source of choice.

HFCS is just a way to get fructose on a cost effective basis. Sucrose (cane sugar) is half fructose. Honey is, too. Most sweeteners conform to the 55% fructose, 45% glucose formula.

[dwivian]

This is entirely accurate.... fructose isn't bad, in moderation.

Alas, food companies don't USE it in moderation, so it is often difficult to know you're getting lots of it. 100% Apple juice is high fructose, but not HFCS. Doesn't matter. Lots of fructose isn't good for you.

Avoiding it, though, is a royal pain.

[raven-nest.livejournal.com]

Agreed. It seems every label of processed food has it as one of the first several ingredients.

[dwivian]

it's an amazingly useful ingredient! Alas, our bodies aren't quite so happy about that, but it does make pretty and flavorful food!

[dwivian]

A study of six people. Wow.

Fructose, as used in commercial products, is HFCS55, which has the same formula as sucrose (comparison to glucose is disingenuous to the standard products in service as sweeteners). HFCS55 is, as you say, about half glucose and half fructose, just as cane sugar is.

So, why so bad for us?

You touched on it without saying it outright -- one soft drink is three apples. One cup of tea is two teaspoons of whatever sweetener (for most people -- I'm down to one for a 12 oz mug). And, yet....

Freezer burn is lessened by fructose, so it's sprayed on product to make it pretty in the cold section. It's shelf stable, so it gets added to all sorts of foods like ketchup and vinigrette dressings to add extra structure and mouth feel. It browns well, so it is added to dough for almost every common bread product.

It's not that, by itself, fructose is horrible. It's that we eat 60+ pounds of the stuff every year.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

This certainly isn't the study that proves the link.

So fructose is fine in moderation. Unfortunately, we seem to get enough of it in the things that don't list it as an ingredient.

Thanks for the info.

[serendipity.livejournal.com]

Some of us have developed a sensitivity to fructose. Different fruits have varying amounts of the stuff, but apples are among the worst for high fructose content. And any high fructose corn syrup whatsoever is exceedingly troublesome to digest. I bet that with all the HFCS people are now consuming, plus the super-sized so-called healthy fruit juice drinks, more people will develop the sensitivity to fructose but won't know what's wrong with them.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

Never heard of that. When did you develop it, or figure out your problem?

[serendipity.livejournal.com]

Hm, within the past few years, I guess. I've written about how the herbalist helped me reduce fructose from my diet. (It's odd - I can digest sucrose better - but still try to limit my sugar intake in general.) Here's just one article of many addressing Fructose Malabsorption (and how common it is).

[serendipity.livejournal.com]

Wikipedia has a surprisingly informative entry on fructose malabsorption.