HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP; GOOD OR BAD?

High fructose corn syrup is commonly used in place of sugar in processed foods in the USA. In fact, the average American eats an astounding 41.5 lbs of high fructose corn syrup per year! Recommendations from the American Heart Association say that most American women should consume no more than 100 calories a day from added sugar from any source, and that most American men should consume no more than 150 calories a day from added sugar, and that even less is better. That's about 6 teaspoons of added sugar for women and 9 for men.
Now that high fructose corn syrup is being added to an increasing variety of foods (breads, cereals, soft drinks, and condiments); some people are looking for ways to avoid it. The debate over HFCS as being a leading cause of obesity is still something that is being argued. A 2011 study cited by the sugar industry from the Journal of Metabolism concludes that high fructose corn syrup leads to "significantly different acute metabolic effects" than plain sugar. HFCS is comprised of two simple sugars: glucose and fructose. While glucose is metabolized throughout the body, fructose is only metabolized by the liver. Once the liver is saturated in sugar, it turns the Fructose into Triglycerides. Too much Fructose will increase your Triglycerides which will then turn into FAT!

After 20 months of review, the Food and Drug Administration has denied a petition from the Corn Refiners Association (CRA) to use the term “corn sugar” as another name for high-fructose corn syrup which would imply that HFCS is "natural." You cannot just go to a field and squeeze corn syrup out of corn or sugar out of sugar beets or sugarcane.

While the debate over HFCS continues, Dr. Larsen's medical approach is that HFCS is not a good thing, nor is it natural. As diet and nutritional experts, we have seen hundreds of clients who have cut out their refined sugars (mainly HFCS) and have lost staggering amounts of weight. Everyone has their theories on HFCS, but one thing remains consistent; and that is it's prudent to consume ANY sugar in total moderation. Here are some of our suggestions to continue to maintain a healthy diet:

Avoid sugary, nondiet sodas. Drink water or other unsweetened beverages instead.

Choose breakfast cereals carefully. Although healthy breakfast cereals can contain added sugar to make them more appealing to children, skip the non-nutritious, sugary and frosted cereals.

Eat fewer processed and packaged foods, such as sweetened grains like cookies and cakes and some microwaveable meals.

Snack on vegetables, fruit, low-fat cheese, whole-grain crackers, and low-fat, low-calorie yogurt instead of candy, pastries and cookies.