The Hazards Of High Fructose Corn Syrup

Eating a diet heavy in high-fructose corn syrup, or HFCS, products may cause you to gain weight, and even be hazardous to your health, according to Harvard Medical School. Chiropractic doctor Edward Group, of the Global Healing Center, reports that one-third of American food products may be "polluted" with high fructose corn syrup. Several adverse health conditions have been linked to the excessive intake of foods and beverages containing high fructose corn syrup.

History

During the 1960s, Americans discovered a new way to sweeten foods and soft drinks that was less expensive and increased product shelf-life. Manufacturers began using high fructose corn syrup to sweeten sodas in the 1980s, and today HFCS is considered the predominant American sweetener, according to Harvard Medical School.

Components

High-fructose corn syrup is made by converting the glucose in cornstarch to fructose, according to the Mayo Clinic. Simple sugars, also known as simple carbohydrates, are found in glucose, sucrose, fructose, honey and molasses as well as in sugar-filled foods such as candy, cakes, donuts and some cereals. The website Acu-Cell.com states that simple carbohydrates like those in high fructose corn syrup may cause a number of medical problems such as raising levels of triglycerides, whereas complex carbohydrates, found in whole grains and vegetables, are thought to be beneficial.

Obesity

According to a Princeton University investigation, high-fructose corn syrup may make you gain weight. The team from Princeton discovered that rats fed a diet composed of HFCS gained dramatically more weight than those given table sugar, although they ate an equal amount of calories. Moreover, the rats given high-fructose corn syrup had an atypical amount of body fat -- particularly around the abdomen -- and higher triglycerides, or blood fats. HFCS may affect your appetite, as well, by blocking hormones that produce the sensation of fullness, which could lead to overeating, according to Harvard Medical School.

Type 2 Diabetes

Excessive amounts of processed food and drink containing high-fructose corn syrup may contribute to people developing type 2 diabetes, says Dr. Group. Harvard researchers appear to agree. They observed the affects of sugar-filled soft drinks on the development of type-2 diabetes in women. The Harvard team discovered that women drinking two or more sugar-sweetened soft drinks daily increased their likelihood of developing type-2 diabetes by 83 percent compared to those who consumed one or less per day. What's more, Harvard investigators found that the women drinking the most sugar-filled soft drinks per day had a greater tendency to gain weight.

Heart Hazards

Consuming an abundance of foods and beverages with high-fructose corn syrup may cause a build-up of arterial fats and possibly lead to heart disease, according to Harvard Medical School. HFCS may not only make you fat, it may make your heart fat, too, asserts Dr. Group. He states that there is a strong link between HFCS and elevated low-density cholesterol levels -- the harmful cholesterol -- which can cause dangerous levels of plaque in your heart, and may result in heart disease, hypertension and stroke.