Why You Should Avoid Fructose Sweetened Beverages

Wednesday, May 06, 2009 by: Henri Junttila
Tags: fructose, health news, Natural News

(NewsTarget) A new study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation (April 20th, 2009) shows the difference in how the sugars fructose and glucose affect the body. Fructose showed more harmful effects such as increasing belly fat, higher cholesterol levels and increased insulin resistance. The study was conducted by Peter J. Havel, PhD, of the University of California in the United States.

The study included 32 overweight men and women with the average age of 50. The participants were divided into two groups, in an outpatient setting that was 8 weeks long or in a more strictly controlled inpatient setting that was 2 weeks long. During a period of 10 weeks the two groups drank glucose or fructose sweetened beverages totaling 25% of their calorie intake. Both groups put on more fat during the 10-week study, but the group that drank fructose sweetened beverages put on more fat on their bellies compared to the glucose group, which added mostly fat under the skin. "The study showed clear differences in how fructose and glucose are metabolized by the body," nutrition researcher and principal investigator Peter J. Havel, PhD, of the University of California at David told WebMD. The fructose group also showed increased cholesterol and bad cholesterol levels, and increased insulin resistance, while the glucose group showed none of these signs.

These findings however do not show that high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), which is one of the sweeteners used in most soft drinks, cereals and other products, is more damaging for your health than any other added sugars or sweeteners. Peter J. Havel and his team are in the early stages of a study that will investigate the metabolic effects of fructose, glucose, table sugar, and HFCPS.

"Some people drink 2 liters or more of soda every day" says Matthias H. Tschop, M.D and associate professor at the University of Cincinnati Obesity Research Center. "If you do that for many years there is no doubt that it will impact your health, no matter what type of sugar is used" he says to WebMD. "We are eating too much of everything, not just sugar," says James Rippe, M.D, professor of biomedical sciences at University of Central Florida. "Over the last three decades, the average American has increased their calorie consumption by 24% and physical activity has declined. People are singling out sugar as the one smoking gun in the obesity epidemic when there are guns everywhere."

If you want to keep and improve your health then you should avoid all processed foods and soft drinks. Sweeteners are found in most soft drinks, fruit drinks, candied fruits, canned fruits, dairy desserts, flavored yogurts, baked goods and most cereals. The best you can do is check the label of anything you buy and read it carefully. If you really want to avoid all processed foods then there is nothing better than sticking to the foods that do not come in a package: mainly raw and organic fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds.

Sources:
http://www.webmd.com/heart/metabolic-syndrom...
http://www.jci.org/articles/view/37385
http://epsl.asu.edu/ceru/Articles/CERU-0406-...

About the author

Henri Junttila is passionate about topics such as home water filters, natural skin care, omega 3 fish oil and natural supplements. His website Colon Health, provides information on topics such as candida cleanse, hemorrhoid cure, relieving constipation, colon detox, colon cleaning, the best colon cleanse and colon cleanse products reviewed by his visitors.