We all know that sugar is bad for us. This is why the World Health Organization recommends us to limit our sugar (sucrose) intake to six teaspoons a day. But did you know that fructose, one of the individual types of sugar, is toxic for you? You may not be aware that you consume fructose every day. It is present in regular sugar “sucrose” (composed by glucose and fructose at a ratio of 1:1); however, its main source in the diet is the omnipresent high fructose corn syrup. This “syrup” is added to almost everything: from soft drinks, candy, bread, to tomato soup and ketchup. It is even in some potato and macaroni salads in the neighborhood deli. The fruit juices also contain considerable levels of fructose.
Whereas the sugar glucose is used as an energy source by every single cell in the body, fructose is not. Be aware, however, that excess of glucose intake could be converted into fructose in the body. Unlike glucose, fructose can be utilized only by liver cells, where fructose processing results in increased levels of the toxic uric acid and fat. Thus, excess of fructose intake from the diet results in excess fat in the liver (and “fatty liver” disease) and excess fat circulating in the blood. The increased fat in the blood accumulates in the body, and leads to obesity, cardiovascular (heart) diseases, and type 2 diabetes. In fact, fructose is the main culprit for metabolic syndrome, the condition in which high blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, and high cholesterol levels co-occur.
Actionable
- Read the ingredients of each food product in your refrigerator and pantry. If “high fructose corn syrup” is one of the ingredients, discard the product. Stop buying such products.
- Stop drinking soft drinks and fruit juices. Instead, eat fruit and drink water.
- Laugh with this Coca Cola video. Coca Cola is one of the companies that have drowned us in drinks with high fructose corn syrup and sugar.
- Next time you want to eat out, think twice: do you know what is in your meal? The only way to be sure is to cook it yourself. Learn how to cook with these affordable recipes from the free Good and Cheap cookbook.
- If you do eat out and you are served in a plate larger than 9 inches in diameter, chances are that there is too much food. Eat only half of the meal and take the other half home.
After getting blood work results with just-at-the-borderline readings for some parameters, I revamped my diet. One change was eliminating my daily full glass of orange juice in the morning, which at the time felt like a big sacrifice, since I was an orange juice fan, and had been drinking one glass per morning since childhood. I also thought drinking orange juice was healthy.
I then read up on dietary sugar intake, especially fructose, which can be especially damaging. Fruit juice is high in sugar, including fructose; in addition, the juice does not contain the fiber of actual fruit, which slows down digestion and slows down the release of sugar into the blood.
Thus, orange juice is not good for you, and can be considered the equivalent of drinking soda.
What about vitamin C intake? How to replace the juice? I've increased my consumption of fruit and vegetables that have vitamin C (in its natural form, along with fiber), and also take part of a vitamin C tablet (the whole tablet has too much vitamin C, an excess compared to required dosages). The tablet can be dispensed with if you are eating sufficient foods enriched in vitamin C; if you have any question about whether your intake is sufficient, you can take one-half of a chewable vitamin C tablet for that day to be on the "safe side."
In summary, unless you have a legitimate reason why you need a quick sugar boost, such as correcting an episode of hypoglycemia in diabetics, drinking your sugar/carbs is not a good idea.
