Sugar doesn’t have the best reputation. We often blame it for weight gain, health problems, and overall poor health. This basically means all sugar is bad, right? Not quite. Think about the way it is processed and added to foods. That is what we should be focusing on. Essentially, the problem isn’t even sugar itself. It’s the processed kind, often in the form of high-fructose corn syrup, or HFCS. It’s a type of added sugar that is the farthest thing from all-natural.
The typical Western diet is full of this stuff, unfortunately. According to the journal Circulation, the average American eats 22.2 teaspoons of added sugar a day. The top sources are drinks and other sugar-sweetened beverages, but you can also find it in candy, pastries, and boxed snacks. HFCS is also making us sicker by the day. But do you know how? This added sugar is hard to hide from, so it’s worth learning about its sneaky side effects. Do yourself a favor and learn how HFCS is ultimate destroyer of good health.1 2
1. Promotes Weight Gain
This one should come as no surprise! Research has shown that high fructose diets mess with adiponectin, a hormone that specifically deals with fat cells called adipocytes. Typically, adiponectin controls lipid homeostasis and reduces inflammation. But after a fructose-induced drop in adiponectin, that homeostasis gets thrown off. Overconsumption of fructose even increases adipocyte precursor cells. These are needed to form adipocyte cells, so when there are more, adipose tissue mass increases. The adipocytes themselves also become much bigger.3 4
2. Enhances Inflammation
Almost every disease can be traced back to inflammation. In the case of chronic conditions, inflammation can also make things worse. That’s why it’s vital to be mindful of inflammatory ingredients, starting with HFCS.5
Remember those oversized fructose-induced adipocytes? These fat cells release more pro-inflammatory proteins called cytokines. The drop in adiponectin, the anti-inflammatory hormone, also makes way for more inflammation. Plus, as diet-induced obesity develops, inflammation disrupts the function of insulin. It’s an ideal scenario for type 2 diabetes.6 7
3. Increases Appetite
Eating HFCS is like a catch-22. Instead of filling up your belly, it’ll actually boost your appetite! This can mean trouble for the waistline and overall health. High fructose intake increases ghrelin, the appetite hormone. It specifically activates receptors needed for ghrelin to work. This signaling can “turn on” even after eating, leading to a greater food intake.8
Overall Effects Of High-Fructose Corn Syrup
All in all, HFCS fuels obesity, a deadly and chronic disease. As weight gain continues, overweight and obese individuals will have a higher risk for:9
- High blood pressure
- High LDL cholesterol
- Low HDL cholesterol
- High triglyceride level
- Type 2 diabetes
- Heart disease and stroke
- Gallbladder disease
- Osteoarthritis
- Sleep apnea
- Breathing problems
- Pain
- Mental illness
- Cancer (endometrial, breast, kidney, liver, colon, gallbladder)
- Early death
As you can see, this single ingredient is doing a number on our overall health. Weight gain, after all, comes with many consequences! And while we can’t remove HFCS from the food industry, you can limit your intake whenever possible. This simple change will totally transform your health.
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