Fructose - Harmful To The Heart And Liver
Author: Karen Lennox
Time for reading: ~2
minutes
Last Updated:
August 08, 2022
Fructose consumption is associated with an increased risk of developing cancer, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, kidney damage and even dementia.
Natural, cheap and sweet - so described fructose can be considered the ideal "healthy" sweetener. Recent research, however, paints a very different picture.
Sugar, which is found naturally in fruits, already added to large amounts of processed foods, poses serious health risks.
Fructose consumption is associated with the risk of developing cancer, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, kidney damage and even dementia, scientists say.
A recent study showed that the high content of fructose in processed fruit juices increases the risk of rectal cancer .
The so-called high-fructose corn syrup is often used , which can be found in various types of food and beverages - from cakes and biscuits to ice cream and cereals. It is also used in frozen products as it reduces crystallization.
Scientists are increasingly concerned about the health effects of high-fructose syrup. Although it contains almost the same number of calories as sugar cane, the body does not absorb the syrup in the same way. This leads to a greater load on the liver, which, in turn, suggests a number of problems, including increased levels of fat in the blood.
According to a US study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, people who consume carbonated beverages containing high-fructose corn syrup for two weeks have elevated levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood, which in turn is associated with an increased risk from cardiovascular disease.
Fructose is also harmful to the liver , another study shows. "Fructose overloads the liver and promotes the formation of fat in it. The extra fat in the body leads to a risk of increased insulin resistance , and it is associated with a higher risk of diabetes, "explains Dr. Kimber Stanhope, head of the study.
Consumption of foods high in fructose also increases the risk of obesity . Laboratory studies by researchers at Princeton University this year showed that in the long run the consumption of high-fructose corn syrup leads to a pathological increase in body fat, especially in the abdomen . This adipose tissue can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke, experts say.
High blood pressure is another danger posed by the sweetener, say scientists from Imperial College , London. People's blood pressure increases significantly after each sweetened drink tested during the day.
Fructose reduces the levels of nitric oxide in the blood. This chemical is vital for maintaining blood vessels, says Dr. Ian Brown of the research team.