High Fructose Corn Syrup or HFCS, not being a commonly used term on a daily basis, so may not be known to a majority of the population. But whether you know the term or not, HFCS is one of the main ingredients in almost every soda you drink, every pie you eat of the shelf and every canned fruit you buy.
The substance made from corn is an alternative sweetener to the normal table sugar and is widely used in many edible products due to the extensive availability of the crop. Manufacturers opt for fructose over sugar as it is sweeter and less expensive when compared to normal sugar.
Regular sugar is itself touted to be dangerous for health, and its alternative counterpart is no less so. The side effects of HFCS are like they add calories into food products and also decrease metabolism rate and tamper with the natural production of insulin in the body.
This sweetener has become a major cause for promoting obesity in many parts of the world. Documented evidence points out that continued intake of HFCS will result in the deposition of fats on the liver that increases the build-up of lipoproteins.
This sweetener has become a major cause for promoting obesity in many parts of the world. Documented evidence points out that continued intake of HFCS will result in the deposition of fats on the liver that increases the build-up of lipoproteins.
It also contributes to plaque build-up that eventually results in the narrowing of blood vessels. Below are some of the ill effects of High Fructose Corn Syrup that gives rise to dangerous diseases.
1. Increase of LDL Cholesterol and Triglycerides:
Sugar that is ingested into the body is metabolized into fat, which in turn increases the cholesterol levels as well. Insulin or leptin secretion is withheld when HFCS is taken in the body, so eating food containing high levels of the corn syrup will result in the sweetener being absorbed fully by the body and metabolized into excess fat and unhealthy cholesterol.
2.Increased risk of heart attack and cardiovascular disease:
As mentioned above, high amounts of HFCS results in higher amounts of cholesterol that blocks the arteries, preventing the blood flow to and from the heart. This will disable new oxygen to circulate through the body and eventually the heart muscles weaken. The heart can also be affected with the accumulation of excess fat in the body.
3. Anaemia:
The body stores valuable minerals to use when necessary. When HFCS and sugars that contain no minerals or vitamins enter the body, it is difficult to digest the sugar. So the body utilises the stored nutrients to digest the sugars, thus leading to a nutrient depletion inside the body. This will render the body weak.
4.Lack of Calories:
Sugars have a lot of calories in them but these calories have no nutritional value. Therefore ingesting them doesn’t help the body in any way. This is called as the ‘empty calorie phenomenon’.
5. Decrease in Immunity:
High Fructose Corn Syrup can lead to an imbalance in the production of hormones and enzymes in the body. These hormones are essential in maintaining a strong immune system and a hormonal imbalance can lower the body’s immunity, causing major diseases to take hold.
This dangerous sweetener is present in a majority of the processed foods and juices available in the market. So in order to stave off from the sugar, you need to be choosy about what you buy and be careful about your diet.
