Contents:
- Medical Video: Why Is High Fructose Corn Syrup Bad - Dangers And Side Effects Of HFCS
- What is high-fructose corn syrup?
- What are the dangers of high-fructose corn syrup?
- 1. Increases the risk of obesity
- 2. Increases the risk of diabetes
- 3. Increase other health problems
Medical Video: Why Is High Fructose Corn Syrup Bad - Dangers And Side Effects Of HFCS
Like to consume sweet drinks in packs or soft drinks? These drinks usually contain artificial sweeteners called high-fructose corn syrup. Now, this high-fructose corn syrup makes the drink you like bad for health. What are the dangers of high-fructose corn syrup?
What is high-fructose corn syrup?
High fructose or high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is an artificial sweetener made from corn syrup. You might often see this name if you see the ingredients contained in the packaging of food or soft drinks.
In high fructose corn syrup, it contains carbohydrates with a composition of 50% glucose and 50% fructose. Glucose is the simplest form of carbohydrates and is the main energy source for the body. Glucose is very easy to use by every cell of the body.
Whereas, fructose is one type of carbohydrate commonly found in fruits naturally. Fructose contained in high-fructose corn syrup will be converted by the body into fat and stored in the liver in the form of glycogen. If needed by the body, this glycogen will be converted into glucose to be used as energy.
Fructose is actually not harmful to the body. However, high-fructose corn syrup usually adds excess fructose intake to your body. This is what makes high-fructose corn syrup harmful to the body if consumed in excess.
What are the dangers of high-fructose corn syrup?
Unfortunately, the soft drinks you consume usually contain sweeteners from high-fructose corn syrup. Not only a little, the content of high-fructose corn syrup in soft drinks can be so excessive that this has a detrimental effect on the body.
Some of the dangers of high-fructose corn syrup for health are:
1. Increases the risk of obesity
Basically, consumption of sweet foods or drinks in excessive amounts can indeed increase your risk of obesity. Moreover, the consumption of sweet drinks containing high-fructose corn syrup.
As mentioned earlier, consumption of high-fructose corn syrup can make excessive fructose intake in the body. Where, excessive fructose is then stored in the body in the form of fat. This is because fructose is metabolized in the liver. This process can certainly cause fat buildup in the body resulting in weight gain and even obesity.
Another theory also states that weight gain is caused by fructose failing to stimulate the production of insulin and leptin. Where, both are those that help regulate body weight and food consumption.
2. Increases the risk of diabetes
Excessive high-fructose corn syrup can increase abdominal fat buildup and cause insulin resistance. Both of these can later cause you to experience type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Regular consumption of high-fructose corn syrup can cause insulin to not respond to carbohydrate consumption properly. Thus, body cells are less able to metabolize and digest carbohydrates. If this happens for a long time, then this can cause an increase in insulin levels and blood sugar.
3. Increase other health problems
Consumption of high-fructose corn syrup is also associated with many other diseases, such as irritable bowel syndrome, metabolic syndrome, heart disease, and some cancers. Excessive fructose in the body is proven to cause inflammation, so it can cause some of these diseases. High insulin levels caused by consuming excess fructose can also trigger tumor growth.
