FRUCTOSE

Do You Really Want This in Your Diet?

A large contributor to the inflammation in the body is the high intake of fructose. With the increased prevalence of high fructose diets in the Western world, understanding the impact of fructose on human health is critical. Fructose contributes to numerous metabolic disorders such as diabetes, obesity, cancer, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.  Currently, India, Ireland, Sweden, Austria, Uruguay, and Lithuania ban the use of High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS).   It is still available in limited quantities in France, China, Australia, and the UK.  However, the US Food and Drug Administration states that HFCS is a safe ingredient for food and beverage manufacturing.

GMO/Fruit/Fructose Corn Syrupfructose

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines genetically modified organisms (GMO) as organisms (plants, animals, or microorganisms) in which the genetic material (DNA) has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally by mating or natural recombination.  As a result, GMOs increase sweetness, size, and sales in many different foods, including fruit.   How?  The GMO works in the fruit so it becomes more desirable in size and color.  However, the ethical concern the is potential harm to human health and the “unnaturalness” of the technology.
The five most genetically altered fruits are tomatoes, bananas, strawberries, apples, and papayas.  The risk to human health is that it creates cholesterol leading to diseases such as non-alcoholic liver disease and oxidative stress (inflammation) inflammation.  So, this is the pre-cursor to most disease processes such as diabetes, cancer, insulin resistance and obesity.
HFCS is a cheaper and sweeter additive from cornstarch. Glucose is converted to fructose that is used in commercially produced foods and soft drinks.  It is a cheaper alternative to sucrose.   And it is in everything.  If you open a bag of any kind – it probably has HFCS in it.
FructoseSome common foods with HFCS: ketchup, applesauce, crackers, cookies, snack cakes, processed oatmeal, cold cuts, canned fruit, peanut butter, meal bars, juices, cereal, canned soups, salad dressing, yogurt, bread, pickles.
So always check ingredient list for different types of fructose syrup including HFCS.

This article appeared in the April 1, 2022 newsletter, ValAsta News, published by ValAsta, a vitamin & supplement store located in Batesville-Leesburg, South Carolina.

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