What is High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)?

High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is added to numerous foods and drinks. A lot of athletes drink Gatorade and it contains loads of HFCS.  HFCS is created by changing glucose which is a sugar molecule into fructose.  Fructose is in fruit but it is all natural and mixed with enzymes and fiber.  HFCS is not the same as natural fructose. 

Companies started to use HFCS in their foods in order to increase the shelf life of their product. Gatorade noticed an increase in stamina for athletes and it kept athlete's energy levels up by adding electrolytes to the drink which is a great additive to water but the HFCS is not good for filtering through the body in general.  It was a good idea, Good theory, but athletes and the general public  are beginning to see ill effects of their product and others like it. 

Affects of High-fructose corn syrup:

1. Weight gain:
HFCS is hard for the body to breakdown and metabolize. In a sense, HFCS tricks our body because the slowdown prevents the body from communicating to our brain that we are full.  This means...we eat more and gain weight. 

2. Diabetes:
According to the Diabetes Health website, consuming HFC may lead to what is called "insulin resistance". What this means is normal amounts of insulin are inadequate in our bodies fat, muscle and liver cells. This leads to diabetes. After becoming a diabetic, it can cause other problems with the heart, circulation, loss of limbs, loss of sight and a premature death. Is has also been suggested that the increase in Juvenile diabetes has increased because of the high levels of ingestion of HFCS.

Sugar is not good for you but It is better to intake natural sugar than ingest high-fructose corn syrup. Companies like Coke and Pepsi are starting to offer sugar soft drinks at the demand of the consumer. When buying any food or drink, check to see if it has high fructose corn syrup and see if there is an alternative. 

Dr. Amie B. Gregory, San Francisco, CA and San Carlos, CA Chiropractor at Precise Moves Chiropractic understands that total health is not only moving correctly but living a healthy lifestyle.  Contact our office today to begin learning about what your body needs to become healthier and stronger!