A new UCLA study released May 15 finds a diet high in fructose slows the brain, reduces memory and hampers learning. Yikes!
They are not talking about natural fructose in fruits. They have zeroed in on high-fructose corn syrup that is often added to processed foods, soft drinks, condiments, apple sauce and baby food. Believe it or not, the average American consumes more than 40 pounds of high-fructose corn syrup per year. So now, in addition to weight gain, diabetes, poor nutrition and heart attack risk, high-fructose diets sabotage your learning ability and memory. So what is high-fructose corn syrup and how can you avoid it?
High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a man-made sweetener that's found in a wide range of processed foods. It also sweetens all regular soda Americans consume. Chemically it is virtually identical to table sugar. When high-fructose corn syrup began to be widely introduced into the food supply, obesity rates and diabetes skyrocketed. A can of soda contains around nine teaspoons of HFCS. Here, is a list of foods to avoid.
Sweetened Drinks
The highest consumption of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) comes from sweetened drinks, especially soft drinks, but also juices and flavored water.
Canned Fruit
Canned fruits can also be high in HFCS especially the heavy syrup variety. Check the labels.
Processed Foods
There are several foods that you should cut down on or exclude from your diet. These include products such as pastries, breakfast cereals, cookies, ice cream, jelly, frozen food, salad dressings, syrups, soups, crackers and processed meat. Choose breakfast cereals carefully and snack on vegetables, fruit and whole-grain crackers instead.
Condiments
There are condiments like ketchup and barbecue sauce that do not contain HFCS like Heinz reduced sugar ketchup. Anything low-sugar, low-carb should be low in HFCS.
Baby Food
Beware..many baby foods and infant formulas are high in HFCS. Read the ingredients carefully. All baby food that contains sweetners usually contain HFCS.
Also, according to the UCLA study, consuming DHA (an essential omega 3 fat) regularly protects the brain against fructose's harmful effects. So if, you have that occasional soft drink make sure you also eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids like walnuts and flaxseed, or take a daily DHA capsule. What ever you do, don't get snookified. The brain you save could be your own. Vegan Day 387 – Wish me luck!
All of those foods are available in the grocery store. That’s why we should be smart and always read the labels and ingredients before buying. Want to know how bad fructose is? Read this article – http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/01/02/highfructose-corn-syrup-alters-human-metabolism.aspx
I just wrote an article about HFCS. After visiting my kids on the mainland (I live in Maui), I was shocked at how much processed foods they have in their kitchen. Especially, when their mom, me, has a site about organics. When I researched the subject, I was floored at not only how bad HFCS is for you, but also how many foods have it as an ingredient. Yuck!! Thanks for spreading the good word.