HFCS High Fructose Corn Syrup
HFCS does NOT metabolize in the same way sugar does. It is a
highly processed product that contains similar amounts of unbound fructose and
glucose. Sucrose, on the other hand, is a larger sugar molecule that is
metabolized into glucose and fructose in your intestine.
HFCS is metabolized to fat in your body far more rapidly than any other sugar,
and, because most fructose is consumed in liquid form, its negative metabolic
effects are significantly magnified. Whereas the glucose in other sugars is used
by your body, and is converted to blood glucose, fructose is a relatively
unregulated source of fuel that your liver converts to fat and cholesterol.
There are over 35 years of hard empirical evidence that refined man-made
fructose like high-fructose corn syrup metabolizes to triglycerides and adipose
tissue, not blood glucose. The downside of this is that fructose does not
stimulate your insulin secretion, nor enhance leptin production. (Leptin is a
hormone thought to be involved in appetite regulation.)
Because insulin and leptin act as key signals in regulating how much food you
eat, as well as your body weight, this suggests that dietary fructose may
contribute to increased food intake and weight gain.
Additionally, a recent study found that because fructose is much more readily
metabolized to fat in your liver than glucose, this can lead to nonalcoholic
fatty liver disease. NAFLD in turn leads to hepatic insulin resistance and type
2 diabetes.
As if all of that wasn’t bad enough, fructose also does not contain any
enzymes, vitamins or minerals so it takes these micronutrients from your body
while it assimilates itself for use.
Unbound fructose, found in large quantities in HFCS, can interfere with your
heart's use of minerals such as magnesium, copper and chromium.
Please note that this does not mean you should avoid whole fruit, however, as it
contains natural fructose together with the enzymes, vitamins and minerals
needed for your body to assimilate the fructose. Eating small amounts of whole
fruit also does not provide a tremendous amount of fructose, and is not likely
to be a problem for most people unless diabetes or obesity is an issue.
And lastly, adding insult to injury, HFCS is almost always made from genetically
modified corn, which is fraught with its own well documented side effects and
health concerns.
GMO corn will radically increase your risk of developing corn allergies. The
problem with corn allergies are that once you have a corn allergy from GMO corn
you will have an allergy to even healthy organic corn products.