If you are gaining weight or can’t seem to lose those extra pounds, new research may hold the clue to your success. According to nutrition scientists at the University of Florida the key to weight loss may be as simple as reducing the amount of fructose in your diet.

Fructose is used to sweeten foods and in found in many common manufactured foods from breads to pastas, sodas and candy bars. It is less expensive than sugar and for that reason has become the most popular sweetening agent used by food manufacturers. Fructose is generally made from corn and called high fructose corn syrup.

Food scientist think that sugar based foods and in particular foods that use fructose or high fructose corn syrup play a significant role in the increase in weight gain seen in Americans over the past years and the increased incidence of type 2 diabetes.

According to Dr. Richard Johnson from the University of Florida, “There’s a fair amount of evidence that starch-based foods don’t cause weight gain like sugar based foods and don’t cause the metabolic syndrome like sugar based food.”

Carbohydrates can be classified into two groups: (1) simple carbohydrates or (2) complex carbohydrates or starches.

Simple carbohydrates are table sugar or high fructose corn syrup.

A complex carbohydrate is a fruit or vegetable or a whole grain. Eating complex carbohydrates that occur in real food, like fruits and vegetables, can reduce the risk for weight gain and in some studies have resulted in weight loss.

Scientists think that part of the success of these fruit and vegetable diets is due to the increased volume and fiber content of these foods that make people feel full.

Dr. Johnson believes fructose may “block the ability of insulin to regulate how body cells use,and store sugar and other nutrients for energy leading to obesity, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.”

Metabolic Syndrome is a condition that greatly increases one’s risk for heart disease. It is defined as having 4 out of 5 of the following factors: high blood pressure, high blood lipids, high blood pressure, insulin resistance and central obesity or a fat around the abdomen.

Over the years Dr.Johnson has seen a rise in obesity, particularly childhood obesity, hypertention and diabetes as our sugar consumption has increased. He states, “Nowadays, fructose and high fructose corn syrup are in everything.”

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Comments (Scroll to the end to leave a comment)

Gupette

08/03/09 09:10

In the second to the last paragraph it lists 'high blood pressure' twice. I wonder what the real 5th factor was supposed to be.

Cycle Queen

01/11/10 01:38

I agree. Sugar is like a poison when it comes to weight control.

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