Sugar and High Fructose Corn Syrup: Let's Deconstruct!

By Jonny Bowden, PhD, CNS

Part 1: The Results Are In...And They're Not Good...

If you happened to have been away from your TV for the past month you might not have noticed that High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) appears to have a new press agent.

After years of media reports and scholarly articles¹ linking the increased consumption of HFCS with the growing obesity and diabetes epidemics, the makers of this stuff have had enough! They're just not going to take it any more! For goodness sake, it's made from corn! It's wholesome! It's no worse for you than sugar! What's the big deal?

Well, as they say, let's go to the videotape.

Sucrose, plain old table sugar, is a disaccharide, meaning it's made up of two (di) simple sugars (saccharides) -- fructose and glucose -- linked together with a chemical bond. Fructose and glucose happen to be the very same simple sugars that make up HFCS. Table sugar is about 50% glucose and 50% fructose, while in most high-fructose corn syrups, the proportion is similar but not identical -- 55% fructose and 45% sucrose.

There is an HFCS that's 90% fructose and is used primarily in baked goods, but the 55/45 is the predominant version in soft drinks -- and admittedly isn't much different from plain old sugar. This is the basis of the "what's the big deal?" argument of the corn lobby (we'll come back to thatargument later on).

Of the two simple sugars (glucose and fructose) that make up both table sugar (sucrose) and HFCS, fructose is clearly the more damaging. It's been shown in studies to produce insulin resistance in animals, and it unquestionably raises triglycerides, a serious risk factor for heart disease.

In the year 2000, Canadian researchers at the University of Toronto fed a high-fructose diet to Syrian golden hamsters, rodents that have a fat metabolism extremely similar to our own. In a matter of weeks, the hamsters developed both elevated triglycerides and insulin resistance.² Fructose also contributes mightily to creating new fat on your body.

Recently, in an ingenious study at the University of California, Davis, researchers Peter Havel and Kimber Stanhope investigated whether fructose is "worse" for you than glucose (the other simple sugar that makes up both sucrose and HFCS).³ The short answer is, "you betcha".

For two weeks, Havel and company fed a strictly controlled diet to 23 overweight or obese adults from 43-70 years of age. They measured all sorts of things like heart disease risk factors, blood fats, cholesterol, and weight. Then they split the subjects into two groups.

Both groups were allowed to eat whatever they liked, but each person had to drink three sweetened beverages a day, accounting for about 1/4 of their daily calories. Group one drank a beverage sweetened with pure glucose; group two drank a beverage sweetened with pure fructose.

After only two weeks drinking their assigned beverages, the problems with fructose became immediately apparent. The fructose drinking group had increasing measures of heart disease risk. Their LDL ("bad") cholesterol went up, their triglycerides were elevated, and worst of all, their insulin sensitivity decreased significantly -- a sign that their risk for both metabolic syndrome and diabetes had gone up.

To add insult to injury, the fructose folks gained 3 pounds (while the glucose folks did not). And the type of fat they gained was the most dangerous and metabolically active -- intra-abdominal fat around the middle, the risky kind associated with heart disease.

So fructose is one of the worst sweeteners you can possibly use, and we've known that for some time. Fifteen years ago, the prestigious (and conservative) American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a review article by P.A. Mayes which stated that "long-term absorption of fructose (causes) enzyme adaptations that increase lipogenesis (fat creation), and VLDL (bad cholesterol) secretion, leading to decreased glucose tolerance and hyperinsulinemia."⁴

So the jury on pure fructose is in, and that case is pretty much closed (or should be).

Which leaves the following question: since fructose makes up about half of both regular old sugar and high fructose corn syrup, is it really any worse for you than plain old ordinary sugar? After all, in both cases, you're consuming a lot of metabolically damaging fructose. And this is where stuff begins to get just a bit murky.

Sucrose was the predominant sweetener in the American diet up to about the 1970s. But it was expensive. The reason that it was replaced with HFCS has to do with an arcane drama involving Earl Butz (the Secretary of Agriculture under Nixon), the economics and politics of corn subsidies and sugar tariffs, the Farm Bill, and Archer Daniels Midland, one of the largest corn processers in the world.

This drama has been chronicled elsewhere in vivid detail (both by Greg Critser in his excellent book, Fat Land and by New York Times writer Michael Pollan). So let's leave that fascinating political and economic history aside for now.

The reality is that HFCS is now the predominant sweetener used in soft drinks, candy, baked goods, and virtually all processed foods. But at what cost? In Part 2, we'll look at the impact of HFCS on our eating habits and health.

References

1. http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/full/79/4/537#R3.
2. Abstract presented at the 5th Annual World Conference on Insulin Resistance Syndrome, Boston, 2007.
3. http://foodconsumer.org/7777/8888/must-read-news/062504432008_Not_all_sugars_
   have_an_equal_effect_on_obesity.shtml.
4. http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/58/5/754S?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=
   10&RESULTFORMAT=&author1=Mayes&fulltext=fructose&andorexactfulltext=
   and&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&sortspec=relevance&resourcetype=HWCIT.

[Ed. note: Dr. Bowden is a nationally known expert on weight loss, nutrition and health. He's a board certified nutrition specialist with a Master's degree in psychology and the author of five books including The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth. His latest book is The Most Effective Cures on Earth.For more information, click here.]

Nutrients & Health: The Herb Emporium: Siberian Ginseng By Candace Booth, ND, PhD, CNC, SHC

It is recommended that you speak with a knowledgeable professional before using any herbal remedy.

Nerve tonic, detoxifier, immune system stimulant... Siberian ginseng is considered an ‘adaptogen' because it normalizes body functions and can be taken for all body systems. The use of this herb dates back about 2000 years and has a history of improving longevity, energy, and stamina. It was ‘rediscovered' in 1855 in Siberia just north of China's Amur River and is also known to grow in Japan, Korea, Canada, and the northwestern United States.

Siberian ginseng has been shown to be especially helpful for people experiencing stress or stressful situations because it inhibits the alarm phase (fight or flight response) of the stress reaction.¹ The Chinese take it as a remedy for insomnia and believe that regular use will increase longevity, improve general health and appetite, and restore memory. In traditional Chinese medicine, it is used to reinforce "Qi" and invigorate the function of spleen and kidney.

The Russians were the first to use Siberian Ginseng as a training aid for their athletes with dramatic results. The Russian Olympic team has publicly acknowledged its use since 1972 and credits its effects for the capture of eleven gold medals at the Lillehammer Winter Olympics in 1994.

It has been used (and still is) by the Russians to increase performance, bolster the immune system, reduce fatigue after workouts, and lower the effects of stress — all with no side effects. Over-trained athletes often have high levels of stress-induced cortisol, a catabolic (protein-destroying) stress hormone. Siberian ginseng deactivates cortisol before the hormone can cause tissue damage.²

Siberian ginseng even supports the body during traditional cancer treatments by helping the liver detoxify harmful toxins including those from chemotherapy and radiation exposure.³ Research has also shown that it has a pronounced effect on the immune system. It improves the function of T cells (mostly T-helper cells), cytotoxic and natural killer (NK) cells, and increases the production of virus-fighting interferon.

But there's much more to the healing benefits of Siberian ginseng. It has been shown to:

• Effectively reduce blood pressure, lower elevated serum cholesterol, and eliminate angina symptoms in human subjects.
• Increase blood pressure in subjects with low blood pressure.
• Prevent upper respiratory infections. The Russians completed a study showing that thousands of participants using Siberian ginseng 8-10 weeks before cold and flu season reduced the incidence of attracting symptoms by 95%.⁴
• Promote a feeling of general well-being by balancing the various neurotransmitters (serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine) that act on the nervous system.
• Improve conditions where high levels of fatigue, low-grade fevers, frequent sore throats, and joint and muscle pain are present.

The most bioavailable forms of Siberian ginseng are as a tincture, infusion, tea, or raw and chewed. These forms are also beneficial for individuals with a sensitive stomach. You can also take it by capsule or tablet with a large glass of water.

Siberian ginseng can be taken with or without food. Use for 60 days, rest for 2-3 weeks, and the begin using again. Side effects are rare, but should not be used with large amounts of caffeine.

References

1. Herb Allure Nutritional Research, Jamestown, article on Siberian Ginseng.
2. Balch, P. Prescription for Herbal Healing, Avery Press, 2002, p. 126.
3. Farnsworth NR, et al. Econ Med Plant Res, 1985, pp. 156-215.
4. Balch, P. Prescription for Herbal Healing, Avery Press, 2002, p. 126.

[Ed. Note: Candace Booth has a natural health practice in Mt. Dora, Florida where she offers consultations in nutrition and overcoming disease symptoms with natural healing remedies. Her new book, How Much Fat Are You Carrying - The Ultimate Fat Loss Guide For People Who Are Sick of Diets is available on her website,]

Healthy Recipes: Fudgy Chocolate Walnut Cookies By Kelley Herring

Have a cookie craving? Try these! Antioxidant-rich dark cocoa and omega-3 packed walnuts come together to make heavenly-sweet cookies with only 1 gram of sugar per serving. In addition to satisfying your sweet tooth, your trip to the cookie jar will also give you a good source of fiber, magnesium, and protein.

Time To Table: 45 minutes
Serves: 12

The Benefits
Excellent source of omega-3
Good source of fiber, magnesium, protein
Preferences: Low carb, low sodium, gluten-free

Ingredients
9 ounces organic walnut halves
1/2 cup organic cocoa powder
4 large organic egg whites
1 tsp organic vanilla
3 cups organic erythritol
4 drops SteviaClear, liquid stevia
1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt

Preparation
Preheat the oven to 350°. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Toast walnut halves about 9 minutes. Cool and chop. In a large bowl, whisk the erythritol with the cocoa and salt. Mix in the chopped walnuts. In a small bowl, beat the egg whites, vanilla, and stevia just until soft peaks form. Mix egg mixture with cocoa mixture to make a soft dough. Spoon dough onto the baking sheets in 12 evenly spaced mounds. Bake 20 minutes or until tops are glossy and lightly cracked. Cool.

Nutrition Information
154.91 kcal Calories, 5.29 g Carbohydrate, 0 mg Cholesterol, 14.2 g Total Fat, 2.6 g Fiber, 5.1 g Protein, 67.98 mg Sodium, 1.08 g Sugars, 1.58 g Saturated fat, 0 trans Fat, 2.04 g Monounsaturated fat, 9.92 g Polyunsaturated fat

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These articles appear courtesy of Early to Rise’s Total Health Breakthroughs [Issue 10-24-08] which offers alternative solutions for mind, body and soul. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.totalhealthbreakthroughs.com/