Not only does fructose leave us hungry, but it also makes us store fat. Not sweet at all!
Over the last year more research has been showing that increased fructose intake is paralleled by increased weight gain, obesity, and insulin resistance.
One study comparing sucrose and fructose showed that eating sucrose will promote hormones to make us feel full, while eating fructose will not secrete as much of these hormones.
A new childhood obesity study analyzed 34 popular drinks made with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), and found that they all contained 50% more fructose than glucose.
“We found what ends up being consumed in these beverages is neither natural sugar nor HFCS, but instead a fructose-intense concoction that could increase one’s risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease and liver disease,” said Michael Goran, Ph.D., lead author of the study and director of the Childhood Obesity Research Center at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC).
“The human body isn’t designed to process this form of sugar at such high levels. Unlike glucose, which serves as fuel for the body, fructose is processed almost entirely in the liver where it is converted to fat.”
Natural sugar (sucrose) is made up of equal parts of fructose and glucose. Dr. Goran’s analysis of the drinks made with HFCS showed a fructose to glucose ratio of 60:40 significantly higher than 50:50 portions found in sucrose. HFCS is not sugar even though the Corn Refiners Association claims that “sugar is sugar.”
Americans consume more HFCS per capita than any other nation and consumption has doubled over the last three decades. Diabetes rates have tripled in the same period. Much of this increase is directly linked to sodas, sports drinks and energy drinks.
Walker, R.W., Dumke, K.A., Goran, M. I. (2014). Fructose content in popular beverages made with and without high fructose corn syrup. Nutrition . Published online June 3, 2014; dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nut.2014.04.003
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news/new-evidence-links-fructose-to-weight-gain-010213.html
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news/usc-study-finds-more-fructose-in-soda-than-label-indicates-060414.html
http://www.nutritionjrnl.com/article/S0899-9007(14)00192-0/abstract