Thursday - November 12, 2009

Can Sugar Lead to Bitter Consequences?

Did you know that while you're satisfying your sweet tooth with sugar-laden soft drinks, cereals and snacks, you may be putting the rest of your body at risk of developing serious health issues? Consuming too much of a particular form of sugar can lead to unhealthy weight, blood pressure and blood sugar levels, and possibly even poor cardiovascular function. The question is, are all those "goodies" worth it?

I have some important news for those of you who have high blood pressure. A paper1 was recently presented at the 42nd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Nephrology regarding use of processed foods and beverages that contain high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). The authors found that within the last couple of hundred years, the rate of fructose intake appeared to be in direct correlation with the increased rate of people who are at an unhealthy weight; particularly notable is the increase that occurred over the past twenty years since the introduction of high fructose corn syrup.

Dr. Diana Jalal, from the Colorado Denver Health Sciences Center, along with colleagues, studied a group of over 4,500 adults, ages 18 years or older, with no prior history of unhealthy blood pressure. A diet questionnaire was utilized to determine the amount of fructose intake found in beverages such as fruit juices, soft drinks, candy and baked products. Dr. Jalal and her team noted that those who ate or drank more than 74 grams per day of fructose (which amounts to about 2 1/2 sugary soft drinks per day) increased their risk of developing unhealthy blood pressure by as much as 87%.

We are basically eating ourselves to premature mortality in this country. The number of individuals with unhealthy weight levels has been skyrocketing over the past couple of decades as portions have increased and "supersizing" has become the norm. High fructose corn syrup is extremely detrimental. It is not the fructose that you naturally find in honey and fruit products. Rather, it is a clear liquid, a highly refined product made from corn starch. It is used in foods because it is inexpensive and apparently has a long shelf life. Aside from the recent study indicating that this can lead to increased blood pressure, ingestion of this product can also cause unhealthy blood sugar and unhealthy weight, and may adversely affect cardiovascular function.

I am fortunate to say that I've never acquired a taste for sugary soft drinks. My favorite drink remains H20.