How High Fructose Corn Syrup Makes Us Fat
Well, looky here! We’re getting more and more proof that high fructose corn syrup plays a major role in the obesity epidemic.
Suspicions were high, of course. Between 1970 and 2005, the same period when our weight problems went berserk, so did the use of HFCS–which went up by 10,763%. I mean, that “coincidence” should get anybody’s attention.
In fact, it got the attention of researchers. Now science backs up our suspicions.
First, some background. In 1994, scientists discovered leptin, an endocrine hormone created by–get this–our body fat. Leptin works as a fat tracker. It tells your brain when enough is enough, and we get the message to stop eating.
Or at least that’s the way God intended for things to go. When it works, nobody gets fat. When it doesn’t work, the brain never gets the message, and people plump up big time.
What gums up the works? Man-made fructose, which comes without the enzymes, fiber and other natural attributes seen in nature. Synthetic products not found in nature usually make a mess of things, and that includes high fructose corn syrup–which is what I’m talking about.
Sugar contains fructose, too, but it’s not loose. It’s bonded to glucose, which makes all the difference.
Loose fructose blows the whole leptin thing out of the water. Our bodies have no idea what to do with fructose. Every cell we own can metabolize sucrose–sugar–but not stand-alone fructose. And since our cells can’t handle fructose, it gets dumped into the liver because that’s where all the bad stuff goes.
Well, the liver doesn’t know what to do with fructose either. Adding to the problem, the liver can process–not metabolize, but process–about nine grams of fructose a day, while the average can of high fructose corn syrup laden soda has more than five times that amount–48 grams. And since fructose is everywhere, in almost everything, the overload doesn’t stop there.
So, the liver’s drowning in fructose. Eventually, cometh the fatty liver, similar to an alcoholic, with all the problems that entails.
Immediately, however, the liver’s struggles cause two things: A rise in blood pressure and a jump in our triglyceride level.
Doctors noticed long since a relationship between high blood pressure and obesity.
And now we know how leptin gets involved.
High triglycerides throw a blockade in front of the brain so leptin can’t get in to deliver its enough-is-enough message. That’s leptin resistance, the quick path to obesity.
But fructose doesn’t stop there.
Fructose messes with insulin, too. While sucrose gets the attention of insulin, fructose never does. Insulin, another endocrine hormone, makes sure sugar gets handled, but, again, it doesn’t know what to do with fructose.
Long story short, fructose leads to insulin resistance, which leads to Type 2 diabetes.
And did I mention that fructose raises uric acid levels, too? Leading to kidney damage if you keep it up.
Plus fructose makes your endocrine system look like the Keystone Kops in full chaos. In their all-for-one, one-for-all way, they leap into the fray to help their comrades in arms, sacrificing themselves in the effort.
To sum up: High fructose corn syrup marches into your body and starts breaking furniture. The more you take in, the greater the mess.
And don’t even be thinking about switching to artificial sweeteners. They’re at least as bad. Maybe even worse. Did you know aspartame wallops the brain?
While sugar wins no prizes as a health food, it beats fructose and artificial sweeteners hands down because our bodies know what in the world to do with it.
Be kind to your body. Just say ‘no’ to high fructose corn syrup. Or corn sugar. Or whatever they start calling it to make you think they actually changed things for the better.
Printer-friendly versionAbout the author
Thanks to a drunk driver, Bette Dowdell has had a life-long opportunity to experience a disfunctional endocrine system. By applying her extensive research, she has things all marching in the same direction now, she's doing well and now shares her knowledge with others.
Dowdell has researched health issues–and solutions–for more than thirty years, with a special focus on the endocrine system. When any part of your endocrine system–say your thyroid–goes down, you’re in a heap of trouble. And, to paraphrase, when the endocrine system ain’t happy, ain’t no body part happy. Bette had to walk that road, and she didn’t get much help from doctors. Now she writes a weekly e-zine to share what she learned–and continues to learn, You can get a free subscription at www.TooPoopedToParticipate.com. Don’t drag through life wondering what hit you.
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Comments
Jim D M
It's about time somebody put ALL of the pieces of the HFCS and obesity puzzle together in print. I have known about the connection to Type II Diabetes for over 15 years, and strongly suspected the obesity connection (from other articles that did not fully explain the connection). I have avoided HFCS for a very long time, but it's almost impossible to eliminate it completely unless you never eat out AND never eat "packaged" foods. And as you say, (and as anybody who wants to research it will find) artificial sweeteners are no better - mostly poisons. As you point out, HFCS is NOT a natural product - it is man made in factories, and NOT extracted from corn as its name implies. (Sweet corn is good for you, and I don't believe that you can extract "HFCS" from natural corn. I believe you can extract "Corn Syrup" from corn, but NOT "High Fructose" Corn Syrup, unles it is GMO corn (and you never know whether the corn you buy is GMO, even if it is labeled "Organic" (Thanks FDA). Anyway, you seem to know what you write about, ie, that the "unbound" or "free" fructose, without any of the other natural components of "fruit sugar" (fructose) is the real culprit. Thank you so much for your keen insight. Keep spreading the truth. And thank you (NOT) to all of the "food" producers who modify natural foods and take out what nature put in, and give us poisons that our bodies can't handle.
chas.
The FDA lets HFCS into everything and it has caused 1) high blood pressure 2) type 2 diabetes 3) high cholesterol and 4) obesity. The FDA also lets big pharmco produce drugs to counteract the above-mentioned diseases. Sounds like it is all about how much money the FDA can pad their pockets not about protecting the citizens Makes total sense.8LTr
Helen
That is why I like fruit and greens and vegetables, The good stuff, not man made but fresh from the soil from the farm to the store to the table. I just would like you to remove that waxy stuff on my apples please.
Bette Dowdell
I keep hoping that the word gets out about how Big Pharma, the FDA, the FTC, etc. go about doing business. It's all about the money; we have a little, and they want it all. And Congress has been wa-a-a-y too complicit. So pass the word along to friends and neighbors--and anybody else that might listen. If the truth's going to set people free, they need to know what it is.
Anonymous
It's unfortunate but most of the people that I know, including family members, don't want to hear about this kind of talk. They would rather NOT know the truth and just take meds for high blood and cholesterol than make inconvenient changes to their diet. Some of them have even labeled me a conspiracy theorist just for bringing up things like the dangers of HFCS or refusing to eat junk food or use a cell phone. You can lead a horse to water but you can't make them put down their bag of Cheetos, I guess.
Bette Dowdell
I hear you, Anonymous. Family's a problem. But then, Jesus's brothers went around telling everybody he was crazy, so it's best not to expect much from siblings.
Consumer Freedom
First off, you’re mixing up fructose with high fructose corn syrup (which, like table sugar, is about half fructose/half glucose). And your obsession with fructose is useless to Americans who are trying to eat healthy. In the same timeframe you discuss we started leading more sedentary lifestyles. The problem with the American diet is not “free fructose.” The problem is consuming more calories than we’re burning off, whether from sugars (carbs), fat, or protein. We need to eat right and exercise more. That's a better conversation to have.
Lori
Consumer Freedom - It's not a simple matter of calories in and calories burned. It's the nature of the calories that matter. Insulin production leads to fat storage. This results from too many carbohydrates in the diet. We should get our carbs from vegetables, fruit, beans, and legumes, with minimal grains; any grain we eat needs to be fully whole with no refining. High fructose corn syrup is a diet disaster and it doesn't matter if it's in a low fat 100 calorie yogurt or a 500 calorie drink. It still causes fatty liver buildup and eventual fat storage.
slatook
3 years ago I came across an article that has now disappeared...How come? In that article researchers reported they had found that when a person ingests HFCS it does not go thru ANY digestive process, whatsoever, in the body but is immediately absorbed by the stomach lining. The stomach does the same with alcohol but dumps that into the bloodstream. HFCS is turned into one thing, immediately, and one thing only....BELLY FAT!! This has led to the creation of a NEW HUMAN SHAPE, found ONLY in the United States...the MUFFIN TOP!!! This is the most disgusting human shape I have ever seen and some of our young people wear it like a badge of honor. If the Lady in the white house is on a kick for healthy food for our kids, WHERE THE HELL IS SHE ON THE HFCS issue????
Bette Dowdell
Consumer Freedom, the body handles fructose differently. Mainly by not handling it well. Fructose from fruit and regular sugar is at least bound to other elements so it doesn't race right to the liver to start breaking the furniture--as is the case with HFCS.
Since you're about freedom, I suggest you drink and eat all the fructose you can get your hands on, whatever form it comes in. That's your right and your privilege. As are the consequences.
You're right on the money, Lori.
Slatook, if FLOTUS was sincerely and knowledgeably concerned about healthy foods for kids, she'd be poking the Prez to get rid of all the governmental demands that school lunches contain so many health-destroying ingredients. But Monsanto and the others sure do put a lot of money into politics.
Aaron Eidinger
I was encouraged by this article except for one, huge, glaring problem: You don't cite any references.
I read an article last year which summarized a study that showed HFCS increased obesity in rats. Reference: http://www.princeton.edu/main/ne...
I'd like to see some more references in your article.
Anonymous
To all you negative Dahli Lamas of this article, we do not need every little detail to be spelled out, a little common sense is sufficient, give this lady an applause to spell out the obvious reason that most of us understand, we have the freedom to choose, but that is the thing, we are not given that choice, they put all these junk as fluoride and other junk that many years later we find out that they are very harmful, we suffer the consequences, as they try to hide all this Sh!!!!!!. Under different names oh I better stop before I get a coronary. JAM
Bette Dowdell
Aaron, I don't cite references. Most readers don't care, while some bureaucrats seem to think I'm trying to give the appearance of being a doctor. I'm not a doctor; I'm a patient who dug myself out of a huge hole when doctors didn't help. That's my credential and my reference.
FestusMA
My example: I moved from the U.S. to the UK (which doesn't seem to do corn syrup like the U.S.) last August. Back home I was regularly jogging on top of playing soccer three times per week. When I got here, I was unable to exercise AT ALL for about eight months because of work, and even still I lost about 10 pounds straight away. I asked another expat about this and he said everytime he goes back to the States he instantly gains about that same about of weight. My theory is that it's the corn syrup... so I googled it and found this article. Not exactly scientific but it's pretty odd to me. Thoughts?
Anonymous
i have been very sick from this hfcs and now unable to do exercise to burn off fat from the wonderful chemical introduced to my food without my permission. Everyone on this planet deserves an explanation as to why it cannot be banned removed from our foods imediately.. This is unhealthy and i will protest against it at all costs for myself and all the children of the world who are next in line to suffer. We the people need to stand up to unhealthy alternatives to a healthy sugar that is naturally occuring ,, thank you.
Githzerai
There are several documentaries on Sugar available through YouTube and NetFlix. What this writer says is pretty much true, if you want more in depth... check out this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d...
Fruit is fine, because the fructose is bound to fiber and enzymes. Table sugar is not... the closer you can get your table sugar to the sugar cane the better.
Watch the documentary "King Corn", to see how HCFS is created, I especially like the last step in production... adding in sulfuric acid... YUM! "King Corn" can be found at NetFlix or other online streaming sources.
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