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Quote: “In order to be wealthy, you must be healthy”

Sugar and high fructose corn syrup: the silent deadly fat contributors!

We all know that sugar is unhealthy but sometimes we do not associate sugar with the stealth ways it is consumed. For example, a can of orange/apple juice has the same sugar content to a can of coke about 30 grams in one serving! Yes they both have the same sugar content. Not to say an apple or orange in its whole state is unhealthy but it takes about 8 apples/oranges to make 1 cup of juice (which is pure sugar). Sugar inhibits fat release and causes several health problems. Sugar is very addicting and contributes to initiating type 2 diabetes (13 million have it, 41% increase since 1997), obesity, ADD, ADHD, elevated cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin, cortisol and uric acid, and many other detrimental health issues.

All these health issues are mostly avoidable through sound nutrition. When you ingest a simple sugar this puts you in a hyperglycemic state (high blood sugar). The pancreas then begins to produce more insulin to remove the excess sugar from the blood and transport it to muscles where it is converted to glycogen. In order for the pancreas to increase its producing insulin, it backs off on producing glucagons. Glucagons are the hormone that releases fat! Sometimes we associate fat free as meaning fat free to the body however there are many products out there that are FAT FREE but loaded with sugar and will grossly affect the body’s ability to burn fat efficiently. We should try to limit our consuming excess sugar daily. Today the average adolescent consumes 85gms of sugar daily!

High fructose corn syrup is even worse than sugar, it is a chemical sweetener used to simulate sugar. It has been studied and shown to cause even more damage than sugar alone, even contributing to cancer. High fructose corn syrup, when studied, causes blood levels to rise twice as high as sugar with twice the same detriments to the body! Fructose and sugar can cause the metabolism to go from fat burning to fat storage, increase heart disease, cancer, gout, arthritis, damage to skin, (wrinkles, age spots). High fructose corn syrup is very, very ubiquitous in many foods especially sauces, seasonings and caned foods. It is almost unavoidable in today’s food manufacturing. A general rule of thumb is to look on the back of the ingredient list and if high fructose corn syrup is in the first four listed ingredients, you would probably be better off avoiding it or limiting it to very seldom use.  

By: J. D. Reber M.S. & B.S. Exercise Science, CSCS & NASM- CFT

Selected references: Journal of Lipid Research 41 (2000), 595-604

American Journal of Nutrition 72 (2000), 1128-1134.

Weil Medical College of Cornell University food and fitness Advisor September 2005

Remember, eat healthy and live wealthy!

Personal training in Lenox, MA