High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) was introduced to the American diet during a perfect political storm, beginning with the 1960s sugar (or sucrose made from sugar cane) shortage due to a trade embargo. Then the 1970s “Farm Bill” provided farmers with government subsidiary of corn, closely followed by the Department of Agriculture’s recommendation to reduce dietary fat. This led to the grand entrance of HFCS, invented by the Japanese from corn starch. HFCS was quickly added to reduced-fat food products to enhance taste. The low cost of HFCS combined with high demand, resulted in a HFCS boom
Consumption of fructose has doubled in the past 30 years and increased six-fold in the last century, according to Robert Lustig, MD and Professor of Pediatrics in the division of Endocrinology at the University of California San Francisco. “The answer to the global dilemma of obesity lies in understanding the causes and effects of this change in diet”.
Proponents of HFCS claim fructose does not raise blood sugar and Dr. Lustig agrees. However, he notes that in nature, there is no fructose alone; it’s always paired with glucose. Glucose metabolism produces insulin, while at the same time fructose causes liver fat and liver insulin resistance, putting people at high risk for metabolic syndrome, a cluster of chronic metabolic conditions including obesity, diabetes, lipid problems, low HDL, hypertension, etc.
While sucrose and HFCS are biochemically equivalent, sugar is metabolized by all organs as a carbohydrate as opposed to fructose, which is also a carbohydrate, but metabolized solely by the liver as fat. It’s the fructose metabolism that is linked to metabolic syndrome:
• Carbohydrates generate insulin (a hormone that stores blood sugar) and leptin (a hormone which signals the brain that it is satisfied and to stop eating). However, Dr. Lustig believes fructose generates greater insulin resistance than other food, causing fructose calories to cloud leptin’s message that it’s full, resulting in over eating.
• As fructose metabolizes, it depletes ATP, a chemical that conveys energy to cells. ATP depletion generates uric acid, which in excessive, can cause gout and hypertension.
• Liver insulin resistance causes the pancreas to release extra insulin, which can force extra energy into fat cells, resulting in persistent weight gain that drives obesity.
• High insulin can drive cancer growth.
While some controversy remains today between fructose and sucrose, researchers agree that excess “added” sugar (sugar added to food products, excluding natural sugar in fruit, vegetables or plain diary) of any form, causes weight gain.
An occasional treat once or twice a week is okay; just eat it shortly after a meal for blood sugar balancing and avoid items containing HFCS. Limit daily “added” sugar to 10 teaspoons or 40 grams for women or 12 teaspoons or 48 grams for men.
Roseann is UBF's health management practice leader and is the glue that turns wellness into health management. Roseann has many years of experience in health and wellness management as well as much knowledge of nutrition and its industry.