High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) has become the preferred sweetener, over sucrose, in the United-States. This post will explain why the Corn-derived sugar is adding to the world obesity epidemic.
Sugars explained:
Sugars make up all the monosaccharides, disaccharides and polysaccharides found in food.
Monosaccharides, also known as simple sugars, include: fructose, glucose, galactose, ribose, among others. These molecules are in their purest form and cannot break down further.
Disaccharides, also known as double sugars, include: sucrose, lactose, maltose, among others. These compounds can break down further.
Polysaccharides, also known as complex sugars, include: starch, cellulose, among others. These compounds can break down further, and, are not sweet in taste.
It is also important to note, that, all saccharides, are, in fact, carbohydrates. Potatoes, for example, are made up of glucose, water, and fiber.
Natural Sugars:
The sugars found in potatoes, rice, fruit, etc. are not added during the processing of them and, are, thus, naturally occurring.
Added Sugars:
Any products which receive sucrose, HFCS, honey molasses, etc. as sweeteners, during the manufacturing process, contain added sugars.
Total Sugars:
The sum of the natural and added sugars.
Added sugar makes up an average of 219KCal or 16% of our total daily energy in the western diet. Forty percent of these added sugars come from High Fructose Corn Syrup.
How High Fructose Corn Syrup is made:
HFCS is derived from corn, which has to go through various processes. A quick summary of this process will follow.
Corn kernels are pulled off the cob and placed into tanks with warm water and sulfur dioxide. At This stage, the starch separates from the rest of the mixture.
The cornstarch is then mixed with hydrochloric acid and heated under pressure. This step breaks down the starch into dextrose sugars.
Finally, enzymes are added to the dextrose, converting it to fructose and enhancing its sweetness.
Producing HFCS is cheaper than extracting sugar from cane. This 'inexpensive' sweetener makes it attractive to food manufacturers.
A list of some of the many foods containing added HFCS:
This is not an exhaustive list, nor does it claim that every product, in these groups, are manufactured with HFCS.
Now that we understand what this corn-derived sugar is, and, its extensive usage, let us look at why it is so harmful to our bodies.
How the body processes sugars:
When we ingest starchy foods like rice and potatoes, the glucose inside them elicits an insulin response in the body.
Insulin opens up the cells to accept fuel inside of them.
The cells inside the liver and skeletal muscle tissue are the primary storage banks for glucose, with muscle making up the more significant portion.
Leptin, the regulator of hunger:
When our fuel stores reach their capacity, leptin gets released to the brain to signal us to stop eating.
Leptin also speeds up our metabolism, allowing for quicker utilization of the stored fuel as an energy source.
This dual action hormone, is, therefore, the principal regulator of how much and often we feed.
Some people have a genetic mutation in the OB gene, resulting in the suppression of leptin. These people never feel 'full,' causing them to overeat and become morbidly obese.
How does HFCS metabolism differ?
Unlike glucose metabolism, fructose does not elicit much of an insulin response. Without the presence of insulin, skeletal muscle finds it challenging to accept sugar in its cells.
The inability for fructose to enter cells means that blood sugar levels will increase.
The body defends itself from hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) by shoving all the sugar into fat cells.
Fat is the only place which will accept excess sugar.
HFCS and Leptin:
Due to the direct association that leptin has with insulin, this hunger-regulating hormone does not get secreted during HFCS ingestion.
Consuming calories, without the feeling of satiety, is a big problem. This issue mimics that of the people with the mutated OB gene, as discussed earlier.
Conclusion:
High Fructose Corn Syrup is a sugar which is adding to the obesity epidemic. The bodies inability to process HFCS like other sugars makes it unsafe for human consumption.
It's no surprise that this 'man-made' sugar is unhealthier than the real thing. It is also no shock, that, food manufacturers are more interested in lining their pockets than preserving our health.
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Bibliography:
[1[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15051594
[2]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17212793
[3]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbohydrate
[4]https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/20-foods-with-high-fructose-corn-syrup