Glitzy commercial advertising is doing its best to convince us that high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is natural.\u00a0 Sure, HFCS originally comes from nature as it is derived from corn, but the similarity of HFCS to anything found in nature stops there.<\/p>\n
To begin with, much of HFCS is made from genetically-modified corn, a health compromising growing process.\u00a0 After processing, HFCS is left as unbound fructose, devoid of enzymes, minerals, and vitamins.\u00a0 HFCS can prohibit vital organs in the body, such as the heart, from being able to utilize what minerals it may receive.<\/p>\n
The main difference between glucose and unbound fructose, the type found predominantly in HFCS, is the way the body processes them.\u00a0 Fructose, not the kind found naturally in whole fruit, is dangerous to the liver as it directly converts HFCS into fat, bypassing the body\u2019s natural design to choose what to do with the sugar-burn, store, or convert into fat.<\/p>\n
When the liver becomes hampered in its mission, the chances of becoming insulin resistant, or being a target for diabetes, are much greater.\u00a0 With so many people consuming vast amounts of HFCS, no wonder there is a national epidemic of diabetes as well as related conditions including heart disease, metabolic syndrome, and obesity.<\/p>\n
If these weren\u2019t enough to worry about, HFCS can contribute to brain and nervous system disorders.\u00a0 Because of processing methods using caustic soda, HFCS is left with an overload of mercury, a toxic heavy metal known to play a part in neurological conditions leading to developmental delays, learning disabilities, and mental decline.<\/p>\n
HFCS is preferred by manufacturers due to the lack of sugar crystallization for items like candy, ice cream, and soda, but it is also found in items not suspected like cereal and bread.\u00a0 In fact, the average American consumed 56 pounds of HFCS in 2007.<\/p>\n