Over the past 20 years there has been a dramatic uptick in our intake of dietary fructose (largely from high fructose corn syrup and other sweeteners) and 2 studies add to a large swath of others that our health may be taking a beating as a result.
In the first evaluation, scientists determined that among over 4,500 adult study subjects with no prior history of high blood pressure, those who consumed the equivalent amount of fructose in 2 ½ soft drinks per day were up to 77% more likely to develop high blood pressure. Curiously, the swift rise in the prevalence of high blood pressure over the past few decades mirrors our escalating intakes of fructose. If you have high blood pressure, you need to watch your salt and your sugar! (Journal of the American Society Nephrology, July 2010)
In the second study (which I found particularly alarming), scientists determined that pancreatic tumor cells “feed” off of fructose and are more apt to multiply and proliferate in its presence. This was in contrast to glucose which did not cause the same response. According to this research, fructose may be a potent driver of cancer cell growth. (Cancer Research, Aug 2010)
High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is the leading sweetener added to processed foods and beverages. US consumption of HFCS increased 1000 percent from 1970 to 1990.
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