5 Health Dangers of High Fructose Corn Syrup
Posted by Ashley on Apr 25, 2011 | General
As seen in Hammer Nutrition:
1. Significant Risk of Weight Gain and Obesity
The list of studies that show HFCS to cause increased weight gain over other forms of sweeteners is much too long to put into this post. One of the better, and more recent ones, was conducted at Princeton University and found that rats that were fed HFCS gained fat 300% more quickly than those fed and equal (or slightly larger) dose of fruit-derived sugar.
2. Increased Risk of Developing Type-2 Diabetes
Over the years, consumption of high fructose corn syrup can lead to a huge increase in the likelihood of developing diabetes. The worst part about it is how easily this lifelong condition can be avoided in most cases. Excessive amounts of soda, energy drinks, and junkfood simply aren't worth losing a foot, going blind, or harming your children.
3. Hypertension and Elevated "Bad" Cholesterol Levels
High Fructose doesn't just make your body fat. It makes your heart fat too. There is a strong link between the irresponsible consumption of high fructose corn syrup and elevated triglyceride and HDL (bad cholesterol) levels. Together these can cause arterial plague build-up and eventually lead to dangerous heart conditions including hypertension, heart disease, and even stroke.
4. High Fructose Corn Syrup and Long-Term Liver Damage
This is a big one that a lot of people overlook. Like anything else you eat or drink, HFCS is processed by your liver, gallbladder, and kidneys. And it's especially destructive to your liver. When combined with a sedentary lifestyle, permanent liver scarring can occur. This greatly diminished the organ's ability to process out toxins and, over time, can lead to an expansive range of other negative health concerns. Another study suggests that HFCS may also cause fatty liver.
5. Mercury Exposure from HFCS
Even if you were already aware of previously mentioned risks associated with corn syrup, there's a good chance that you didn't know if is also often loaded with alarmingly high levels of mercury. In a study conducted just last year they found mercury in over 50% of the samples tested. Mercury exposure can result in irreversible