Why You Can’t Lose Weight: Study Finds Fructose Behind the Diabesity Epidemic
Fructose is fast becoming a new type of four-letter word among people trying to lose weight and those health conscious individuals concerned about excess dietary sugar and increased risk of metabolic diseases including diabetes.
The medical profession has coined the phrase ‘diabesity’, as diabetes and obesity frequently coexist. High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) was introduced into our food supply in the early 70’s and obesity rates have steadily increased in tandem with fructose consumption since that time.
Diabetes cases have similarly grown over the past 40 years and it is now expected that more than half of the United States population will be prediabetic or diabetic by 2020. There’s no mistake making the connection between increased dietary fructose from sweetened beverages and processed foods to the explosion of overweight, obese and diabetic Americans.
Fructose Rapidly Breaks Down and Becomes Belly Fat
Researchers have demonstrated that calories from drinks and foods containing fructose are metabolized differently than the same calories from table sugar. While both sugars contain empty calories, fructose is converted to fat in the liver and doesn’t register as an available energy source that the body can use to power metabolic activities.
This means that the proper hormonal signals aren’t transmitted to the brain telling you to stop eating, as is the case with traditional sugar sources. The tendency is to overeat and fat is quickly stored from fructose metabolism.
Study Links Fructose to Obesity and Diabetes
Due to government subsidies, inexpensive HFCS has found its way into virtually every processed food source. It’s nearly impossible to avoid the sweetener unless you eat a raw, natural diet, as HFCS is added into everything from baked goods and breads to hot dogs and condiments.
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