Beware of The Sickly Sweet
From Dr. Al Sears newletter:
The sweetness you taste in your soda - and many foods - comes from corn, not sugar. Food makers use high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in thousands of products. Pick up a can or a bottle of Coke or Snapple iced tea - even Dannon yogurt, Wonder Bread or Chips Ahoy cookies - and you’ll find the ubiquitous sugary liquid.
In today’s Health Alert,
I’ll show you why HFCS is a threat to your health. You’ll also find out how to identify this popular sweetener - and avoid it. In spite of what the media may tell you, this man-made sweetener can pack on the pounds - leading to obesity and diabetes.
* The Corporate Giants want You to Think HFCS is Harmless… *
Dr. George Bray found a convincing connection between this artificial sweetener and rates of obesity.(1) But last week, a patient brought me an article from The New York Times, entitled “A Sweetener with a Bad Rap.” In it, the author tried to dispute the link between HFCS and obesity.
America’s obesity epidemic has many contributors. So technically, it’s true that high fructose corn syrup is not the sole cause of obesity. But letting it off the hook isn’t a good idea. There’s a mountain of clinical evidence showing that high fructose corn syrup is damaging to your health.
Researchers at the USDA led by Dr. Meira Field, fed lab rats a diet which included HFCS. All of the rats died before reaching adulthood. These rats experienced health problems including: anemia, high cholesterol, delayed testicular development and fatal heart problems.(2) The livers of the rats resembled those of alcoholics. They were cirrhotic and plugged with fat.
Another study by Dr. Lee Gross at Harvard University found a direct link between a diet of foods containing HFCS and a dramatic rise in diabetes and obesity.(3)
* Maintain Your Good Health by Sticking to Natural Foods *
High fructose corn syrup is not natural to anyone’s diet. The only good solution is to avoid it. Since HFCS is in so many of the foods we eat, you may have to put some effort into avoiding it. But it is possible. After all, we only began eating this ingredient 25 years ago.
The easiest way to eliminate HFCS is to avoid processed foods, especially drinks. If you drink bottled or canned juices, teas or “health drinks” consider them the same as soda. They only have different flavorings and colorings.
Avoiding HFCS altogether may be impossible, but here are a few easy-to-follow tips:
• Eat food that grows naturally.
• Avoid low fat and/or processed foods.
• Avoid soda and other drinks with added HFCS.
• Stay on the outer isles of the supermarket. That’s where you’ll find whole, unprocessed foods.
• Read labels! Hundreds of items contain HFCS. Examine the product label before you buy.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD
1. Kim Severson; San Francisco Chronicle. Sugar Coated, We’re Drowning in High Fructose Corn Syrup. Feb 18, 2004. (www.sfgate.com)
2. Siscovick DS, Raghunathan TE, et al. JAMA 1995; 274(17):1363-1367
3. Davidson MH, Hunninghade D, et al. Arch Intern Med. 1999; 159:1331-1338
The sweetness you taste in your soda - and many foods - comes from corn, not sugar. Food makers use high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in thousands of products. Pick up a can or a bottle of Coke or Snapple iced tea - even Dannon yogurt, Wonder Bread or Chips Ahoy cookies - and you’ll find the ubiquitous sugary liquid.
In today’s Health Alert,
I’ll show you why HFCS is a threat to your health. You’ll also find out how to identify this popular sweetener - and avoid it. In spite of what the media may tell you, this man-made sweetener can pack on the pounds - leading to obesity and diabetes.
* The Corporate Giants want You to Think HFCS is Harmless… *
Dr. George Bray found a convincing connection between this artificial sweetener and rates of obesity.(1) But last week, a patient brought me an article from The New York Times, entitled “A Sweetener with a Bad Rap.” In it, the author tried to dispute the link between HFCS and obesity.
America’s obesity epidemic has many contributors. So technically, it’s true that high fructose corn syrup is not the sole cause of obesity. But letting it off the hook isn’t a good idea. There’s a mountain of clinical evidence showing that high fructose corn syrup is damaging to your health.
Researchers at the USDA led by Dr. Meira Field, fed lab rats a diet which included HFCS. All of the rats died before reaching adulthood. These rats experienced health problems including: anemia, high cholesterol, delayed testicular development and fatal heart problems.(2) The livers of the rats resembled those of alcoholics. They were cirrhotic and plugged with fat.
Another study by Dr. Lee Gross at Harvard University found a direct link between a diet of foods containing HFCS and a dramatic rise in diabetes and obesity.(3)
* Maintain Your Good Health by Sticking to Natural Foods *
High fructose corn syrup is not natural to anyone’s diet. The only good solution is to avoid it. Since HFCS is in so many of the foods we eat, you may have to put some effort into avoiding it. But it is possible. After all, we only began eating this ingredient 25 years ago.
The easiest way to eliminate HFCS is to avoid processed foods, especially drinks. If you drink bottled or canned juices, teas or “health drinks” consider them the same as soda. They only have different flavorings and colorings.
Avoiding HFCS altogether may be impossible, but here are a few easy-to-follow tips:
• Eat food that grows naturally.
• Avoid low fat and/or processed foods.
• Avoid soda and other drinks with added HFCS.
• Stay on the outer isles of the supermarket. That’s where you’ll find whole, unprocessed foods.
• Read labels! Hundreds of items contain HFCS. Examine the product label before you buy.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD
1. Kim Severson; San Francisco Chronicle. Sugar Coated, We’re Drowning in High Fructose Corn Syrup. Feb 18, 2004. (www.sfgate.com)
2. Siscovick DS, Raghunathan TE, et al. JAMA 1995; 274(17):1363-1367
3. Davidson MH, Hunninghade D, et al. Arch Intern Med. 1999; 159:1331-1338