What is High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)? What are the effects?
namiother; starch based sugar…
The little chocolate we ate or the little one we drank in our childhood years.
One fruit juice was enough for us, and then we lost our appetite and we couldn’t eat.
Nowadays, children eat a lot of chocolate and drink boxes of juice,
Then he can sit and eat.
So, what is the reason for being able to eat so much and not be full?
What is that innocent-looking corn syrup on the labels?
What are the effects on our body?
With the increase in population density in recent years,
changes, the consumption of refined sugar increases rapidly. Refined sugar; basically
derived from sugar beet or cane, what we call culinary sugar
is sucrose. Sucrose is a sugar found naturally in vegetables and fruits.
The need for new sources due to the rapid increase in sugar consumption
increased, and as a result of the needs, corn syrup emerged.
45-65% of the total energy taken in the daily diet
carbohydrate, 80% of this rate is glucose and 10% is fructose.
is expected to arrive. However, fructose added to prepared foods and beverages
rate, this situation is reversed. Today’s daily fructose intake
10 times higher than normal.
HFCS* is generally used in most prepared foods. This range
It covers a wide area from bread to ready-made drinks. The reason for use is
First of all, it’s low cost. After that; high sweetness,
It is more easily soluble in sugary drinks, extends the shelf life of the product.
and the desired appearance of the products (live, bright, attractive)
making the products more preferable by the consumer.
All these reasons provide commercial benefits to the manufacturer and are frequently used.
causes.
Metabolic events that occur after the intake of fructose into the body
different from sugar. If we try to explain this difference in terms of glucose;
Glucose taken into the body causes insulin secretion after digestion processes.
opens. As a result, we feel the feeling of satiety with the signals going to our brain.
The hormone leptin is secreted. Thus, the individual is able to eat by reaching satiety.
leaves. After the digestion of fructose, there is no satiety because insulin secretion does not occur.
sense does not occur and the person does not want to give up the food. So the feeling of overeating
arises. Moreover; glucose is taken into the cell to be converted into energy
needs a carrier protein, but fructose does not.
is not. Therefore, as a result of excessive consumption; including the liver,
directly and indirectly cause lubrication in the organs.
The increase in obesity has reached a dramatic point in recent years. This situation,
with a western-style diet in which foods high in fat and sugar are frequently consumed
are associated. HFCS consumption and body weight and, accordingly,
There is a direct correlation between developing obesity disease.
In the studies conducted by WHO*, the obesity rate was between 1980 and 2008.
was observed to increase twice.
According to another study, sugary drinks; 2-19 age group
constitutes 8% of the daily energy intake of individuals and 7% of adults.
has been reported. This ratio is equivalent to 40 grams of sugar on average.
In a study conducted in Canada; Obesity between 1985 and 2011
It was observed that the incidence increased 3 times.
Used to create a more intense flavor in soft drinks with sugar.
HFCS invites obesity. The emergence of obesity;
cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, fatty liver and cancer risk
It is an undeniable fact.
Excessive consumption of HFCS-containing foods, the body’s defense mechanism
adversely affect metabolic disorders and
As a result of these negative effects; cellular stress increases, uncontrolled cell
growth occurs and, as a result, the brain of our cells
Our DNA can be damaged. All of these events increase the risk of developing cancer.
increases.
As a fruit sugar, fructose comes from natural sources, namely vegetables and
Care should be taken to take from the fruits. Antioxidant effect of natural fructose
and that it has positive contributions to our defense mechanism.
should not be forgotten.
The most important point to note; containing fructose corn syrup
foods should be avoided as much as possible. These products
consumption, at most 10% of the daily energy, even below 5% if it can be done
withdrawal will be beneficial for our health.
Healthy days…
HFCS: High Fructose Corn Syrup, High fructose corn syrup
WHO: World Health Organisation, World Health Organization
AM, M., & Meyers, AM (2017). High fructose corn syrup induces
metabolic dysregulation and altered dopamine signaling in the absenceof
obese. Plos One, 10-37.
Arslan, S. S. (2016). Fructose And Health. Mersin University Health
Journal of Science, 150-158.
Boyaga, H., Badem, N., & Mortaş, T. (2018). Corn Syrup
The Anarchy It Creates in Metabolism and Its Relationship with Diseases. Kirikkale
University Medical Journal, 198-204.
Kuzma, J., & Cromer, GH-S. (2015). No difference in ad libitium
energy intake in healty men and women consuming bevera ges sweetened with
fructose ,glucose or high-fructose corn syrup arandomized trial. AmJ Clin Nutr,
80-137.
Levy, AM (2015). Fructose:glucose ratios-a study of sugar self-
administration and associated neural and physiological responses in the rat.
Nutrients, 90-389.
Dietitian SinemGENÇ
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