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

[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.