How Sweet it Isn't

Some very good questions have arisen as a result of our discussion on sugars.So, this entry will focus mainly on answering those questions, and perhaps we will continue with another subject later in the week.

Let's begin with Kerrie's question. She brings up the very good point that, often, science and marketing seem to be at odds. There is a law in the USA that says that advertisers can't say anything that isn't true, but they can walk a very fine line. As previously noted, High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is a mixture of fructose and glucose, whereas table sugar (sucrose) is a bond between fructose and glucose. Can your body tell the difference between table sugar and HFCS? Of course. Can your body tell the difference between natural and man-made fructose? Depends on how it's made. See, sugars are interesting in that they can rotate light. If the man made fructose rotates light the same way the natural fructose does, your body can't tell the difference. If it rotates light the opposite direction, your body can. I hope this bit makes sense. Can you tell if the HFCS you're consuming has one sort or the other? Nope. Not unless you have a chemistry lab in your basement....

So, what are the benefits and risks of consuming HFCS? Generally speaking, after reading a great deal of peer reviewed data not financially or otherwise supported by any vested party, sugar consumption of any sort does not lead to hyperactivity, diabetes or obesity in children or adults. However, OVER consumption of sugar or ANY sweetener indicates a dietary or life style habit in which some changes might want to be considered.

This ties well into another question received, which relates to a recent study showing that those who consume sodas heavily are more prone to obesity, and those who consume diet sodas are more obese than those who drink regular, HFCS filled soda. For Jeff, who brought up this point, a single study does not a trend make. I would like to see a little more data on this, although it more or less supports the point that perhaps a little water with a squeeze of lemon wouldn't hurt these folks now and then.

The last question came from one of my younger friends, who asked point blank why we have to eat fiber if we can't digest it. I'll address that question briefly here, and talk more about it when we talk about digestion.

There are two types of fiber that we take in when we eat properly; water soluble, like the gel that comes around beans in canned beans, and insoluble like the strings in celery. Both play a role in proper nutrition. Insoluble fiber acts like the broom a chimney sweep would use first, brushing the hard soot out of a dirty chimney as it moves through our digestive tract. Soluble fiber is more like the brush for the flue, picking up smaller particles and binding things like dietary cholesterol as well. So, for those who "don't like" vegetables, sometimes fiber in a less palatable form is required to prevent damage to the intestines.

Carbohydrates in all their forms are really important in a well balanced eating plan, from sugar to complex carbohydrates to fiber. As we move through this part of our discussion, I hope you will be actively involved, continue to ask questions and help me to help you with any concerns you may have.

Thank you for being here,

Always,

Dr. P