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High Fructose Corn Syrup

February 16, 2010 10:52 AM

Dr. David Kessler and Eric Schlosser talk about high fructose corn syrup in our food. Katie Couric also gets their thoughts on an interesting commercial.

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by WindyGust April 14, 2012 11:48 AM EDT
Please educate yourselves. HFCS is at the root of the obesity epidemic. Take the time to watch this lecture by Dr. Robert H. Lustig, UCSF Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology http://youtu.be/dBnniua6-oM. (Yes, it's 90 minutes long, and all "sciencey", but this is where the truth lies.)
@mscomment (PatRD)... you are using outdated information to teach your students, and in your role as a consultant. Look deeper. Please watch the lecture by Dr. Lustig.
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by metveena July 18, 2011 10:54 PM EDT
Research done by Nanda Methuku at Eastern Kentucky University showed that soda containing High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) (regular soda) caused a greater increase in blood sugar as compared to soda containing Sucrose (Specially made during passover which contains only Sucrose and is marked by KP - Kosher for Passover on the bottle cap. Specially made during passover in the New York City area due to a large Jewish community in the north east. During passover HFCS cannot be consumed as it is considered fermented. Only cane sugar or sucrose is permitted by Jewish law during the time of passover).

High Fructose Corn Syrup caused a significantly greater rise in blood sugar compared to Sucrose. This could be due to the fact that HFCS contains glucose and fructose in the form of monosaccharides and does not need to be digested in the small intestine before being absorbed. Sucrose is in the form of Disaccharides and needs to be digested in the small intestine before being absorbed.

The extra step in the small intestine before being absorbed is a significant metabolic step and rate limiting before all the glucose and fructose is absorbed.

If all the sugars are absorbed at the same time, it leads to a greater blood sugar rise which then causes excess insulin release. Insulin causes lipogenesis and leads to obesity.

Chronic hyperstimulation of the pancreas to release excess insulin can cause beta cell exhaustion and lead to frank type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The calories of sucrose and HFCS might be the same when compared by weight but their physiologic effect on the body are drastically different. From earlier studies we know that the amount of insulin secreted increases exponentially with glucose rise in the blood. These high insulin levels can explain both obesity and Type II diabetes which are on the rise since the consumption of HFCS has increased.

http://ekulib.kyvl.org/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=709819
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by Charmelle_ June 20, 2011 1:02 AM EDT
HFCS is definitely contributing to increase in GOUT symptoms- I have been watchful of additives & high uric acid yielding & oxalic acid yielding foods & additives for many years- Managing intakes to prevent gout symptoms joint swelling & inflamm is necessary for me- Pains & oth symptoms from intake of HFCS are as severe as symp from Artif Sweeteners, MSG & oth pain & edema triggering additives- Eliminating HFCS has been great help while I keep watchful eye for dangerous Artif Sweeteners, MSG (Maltodextrin too which can contain high lev of MSG), Sod Caseinate, Hydrolyzed Veg Protein, Gelatins etc)- While doing own searching for answers as to WHY HFCS is so toxic to me, I learned WHY our bodies canNOT TREAT IT LIKE A NATURAL SUGAR PRODUCT- Past 45 years my husband's income has largely been frm servicing SUGAR CANE GROWERS/HARVESTERS- However we do NOT BUY SPLENDA/SUCRALOSE(CHEMICALLY made from sugar..)- Splenda is SO CHEMICALLY ALTERED WTH CHLORINE that it no where resembles "sugar" when it is finished- Finished Splenda is jokingly referred to as KIN TO DDT, BANNED PESTICIDE b/c of so much chlorine used to chem alter the sugar that the finished product is more closely kin to old CHLORODANE marketed for decades as a (now banned) GARDEN PESTICIDE- OUR FDA was warned by some EUROPEAN Drs BEFORE Splenda was approved here in the US that it would be a BIG HEALTH Mistake to allow Sucralose on the market- Those caring European Drs reported their (sadly) advising diabetic patients to SWITCH TO Sucralose once killer effects of Aspartame were finally revealed- The Drs reported that the patients who had been switched to Splenda..developed the SAME SYMPTOMS- Drs began investigating WHAT was causing the same symptoms in those patients- A SERIOUS IMMUNE problem was discovered...one linked to SUCRALOSE/Splenda having the ability to SHRINK THE THYMUS GLAND..a major part of the IMMUNE SYSTEM- When those doctors advised against US marketing of Splenda..our FDA was already pressured by our STOCK MARKET to support it..as it was already poised for INVESTOR Profits! I already know how to balance low to mod intakes of natural sugars in order to prevent severe bl sugar hikes- HOWEVER intakes of HFCS is as toxic & Ph upsetting as is wth toxic Artif Sweeteners (esp Aspartame) also MSG as both exist wth very HIGH LEVEL (imbalanced) LAB MADE Amino Acids at EXTREME levels as compared to the natural LOW am'ts found (of amino acids) in natural foods- I learned that the TOXIC STATE CREATED BY HFCS happens because of HIGH FRUCTOSE (extra free floating 10% of FRUCTOSE) left after Corn Syrup has been so highly chemically altered- I learned that in NATURAL SUGARS, natural state for sugars present is supposed to be yielding 50% Fructose & 50% Glucose- IN (toxic) contrast HFCS yields 55% FRUCTOSE & 45% Glucose so there is NO CHANCE of natural buffering & balance that occurs with 50 - 50 in natural sugars- This leaves a TOXIC 10% FREE FLOATING FRUCTOSE, which is then toxic to the body..b/c the human body only handles the 50-50 sugars normally in a healthy body-Now With MY ELIMINATING HFCS, even the am't in small packets of KETCHUP I have eliminated SO MANY TIMES of expected painful gout & gouty arthritis symptoms & severe fluid retention- With that in mind, I am wondering about other dangerous health issues, such as Kidney failure & more from Gout...also Hypertension etc which can result from serious fluid retention many people face- Switching to HUNTS KETCHUP..also buying the ONLY Soft Drink that does NOT contain HFCS (regular Sierra Mist) has helped me tremendoudly- I keep my intake of soft drinks to a minimum anyway, but I am still wondering WHEN restaurants will finally have NO MORE Packets of Ketchup with HFCS..b/c even that small intake of HFCS triggers SEVERE joint PAIN before I can return home. I am also wondering how many people are mistakenly diagnosed with PAINFUL Fibromyalgia & more when in fact it could really b BAD FOOD ADDITIVES causing symptoms- Hunts & Heinz still have some bottles of ketchup WITH HFCS being sold in stores- WalMart has HUGE displays of HFCS ketchup very CHEAP in store fronts- This tells me they want to quickly SELL what is NOT MOVING..probably a move supported BY HEINZ who has now put out new "JUST HEINZ"-I am now careful to buy ONLY bottles that specify NO HFCS- Heinz's new bottles of NO HFCS Ketchup..have a little LIGHT BLUE RIBBON piece on left of Heinz label on bottles. I had begun to feel that as I age I could no longer tolerate much shellfish r wheat because of tendency towards gout in family- Now that I have eliminated HFCS frm diet I CAN AGAIN tolerate shellfish with little or NO trouble- It WAS HFCS KETCHUP that I was dipping shellfish IN that was triggering painful symptoms- Also am careful to BUY BREADS labeled NO HFCS as favorite brand has now removed it- I also tolerate sm to mod amt of wheat (better tolerate UNBLEACHED FLOUR) even small amt's of wh wheat too..even wth KETCHUP that is FREE OF HFCS !
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by propolis4651 March 13, 2010 8:47 AM EST
Why is "table sugar" or sucrose not mentioned in this report?
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by mjurban March 10, 2010 7:20 PM EST
That report was very misleading. Sugar is mostly sucrose, as confirmed by several authoritative web sites and food references.

HFCS is high in fructose, so the assertion that there is no real nutritional difference is completely false.
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by roystoll2 March 10, 2010 6:34 PM EST
First of all, the reason that all these companies use high fructose corn syrup is because the all of the sugar refiners got together in the early 1980's I believe and raised the price on sugar to an alltime high and went to COCA COLA with the price increase and said take it or leave it. COCA COLA said thanks, but no thanks and switched all their products to high fructose corn syrup and that's a fact. The next year the sugar beet farmers (like in Moses Lake, Washington) couldn't give their sugar away. What goes around, comes around. These same sugar beet farming operations now grow potatoes for J.R. Simplot. Can you say McDonalds and french fries? Sugar has 18 calories a teaspoon and is inexpensive so why do people put all those chemicals in their bodies in "diet drinks"?
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by Triple_J February 20, 2010 8:55 AM EST
That interview, I'm sorry to say, had all the "nutritional substance" of a bag of jelly beans. Americans are allowing themselves to be treated like lab rats in the pursuit of convenience. Common sense in food has been replaced by a plethora of faddish diets each aimed to make the practitioner feel it can "have its cake and eat it too". Who benefits from the typical American diet as it stands today? Easy, as always, just follow the money. Junk food, junk information, and junk politics all go hand in hand.

For a less soft-gloved approach to this matter, watch King Corn and Food Inc. The best first step out of this morass, is to learn to cook with raw unprocessed ingredients.
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by urbangodnc February 20, 2010 1:13 AM EST
@Katie Couric

JOIN THE FACEBOOK GROUP

THEBANOFHIGHFRUCTOSECORNSYRUPINTHEUS
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by mscomment February 17, 2010 12:54 PM EST
My 20 years as a registered dietitian has shown me that demonizing foods doesn?t work. People eventually breakdown and overindulge. A better approach to weight management ? and overall good health - includes a variety of foods, in sensible portion sizes, and moderate activity.

The obesity epidemic is a complex issue caused by many factors: Namely too many calories and insufficient activity. It seems this piece focuses on feelings and opinions rather than fact, or providing viewers with positive messages and specific tips for making change.

As a consultant to the food industry and a college professor I use science to explain nutrition messages. For instance, honey, sugar and high fructose corn syrup have the same 4 calories per gram. They have a similar makeup, and they are metabolized in the same way. In 2008, the American Medical Association concluded that ?high fructose corn syrup does not appear to contribute to obesity more than other caloric sweeteners.?

While ?fresh is best? there is a place for some processed foods. Reading food labels is the ideal way to make choices. And balancing calories with activity helps control weight.

PatRD
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