Health Hazards of High-Fructose Corn Syrup

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High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a very popular ingredient in soda (pop), fruit juice, ice cream, cookies and processed bread. In general, many processed foods contain high-fructose corn syrup. HFCS is a synthetic sugar that is very destructive to the body and have been linked to heart disease, liver damage, cancer, obesity and diabetes. One of the dangerous properties of HFCS is that it may be genetically modified. Most of the corn grown in the U.S. is genetically modified. Since HFCS is a byproduct of corn, if it is made in the U.S., there is a very high chance that it is also genetically modified. Genetically modified food has been linked to many chronic diseases, such as cancer, sterility, premature aging, birth defects and obesity.

Have you ever wondered why we Americans have such high numbers of people with obesity and diabetes? Well, one of the reasons is because we consume high levels of HFCS.

As mentioned at suite101.com.

Within the body, high fructose corn sweetener is processed very differently from natural sugars found in fruits and other food sources. Dr. Elizabeth Parks, writing in the Journal of Nutrition in 2008, states that high fructose corn syrup is quickly converted by the liver directly into fats, which are then stored. Some are stored directly at the liver. These can lead to raised cholesterol levels as well as create conditions ripe for insulin resistance, a precursor to Type II (adult-onset) diabetes.

Another hazardous substance found in a good portion of HFCS is mercury. Below is a quote from washingtonpost.com.

Almost half of tested samples of commercial high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) contained mercury, which was also found in nearly a third of 55 popular brand-name food and beverage products where HFCS is the first- or second-highest labeled ingredient, according to two new U.S. studies.

The reason why some HFCS is contaminated with mercury is because some manufacturers used a process called mercury alkaline extraction to produce it. Mercury is one of the most dangerous heavy metals because it is a neurotoxin.

To avoid HFCS read the ingredient lists before you buy any food or drink, especially if it is processed. Reduce or stop drinking sodas because most of them contain HFCS. Instead, drink tea and purified water.

For more information about HFCS please visit the links below.

• HFCS – The Poison That Promotes Obesity and Liver Damage
• High Fructose Corn Syrup the Cause of Obesity Epidemic, New Study Suggests

Related Posts:

• How Mercury Destroys the Brain
• Aspartame: The Artificial Sweetener That Kills

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