Wow! I never expected to discover that fructose, the sugar component in many fruits, is a poison. An online lecture by Dr. Robert H. Lustig, a pediatric endocrinologist and an expert in obesity, spells it out as a wake call for everyone. While the complicated biochemistry will be a little hard for many to follow who have no knowledge of it, the video is compulsory viewing to eliminated ignorance and expose what the food industry is about.
The 90-minute expose delves deep enough into the biochemistry to awaken even the most hardened minds. With so many of our foods going through processing it has taken the wind out of my sails to learn how much toxins are fed to us through supermarkets and the junk food industry.
Many babies are fed formula now by mothers who have rejected breast-feeding of infants for one reason or another. They may be shocked to learn that a single feed contains as much sugar as soda.
What this lecture covers is not only the dangers but the methods of how the liver responds to high intakes of sugar. This has caused me to rethink my smoothies that have recently replaced oats in my breakfast menu. While relishing them because of the fruit and yoghurt components my horror at what damage they may have caused is now a worry.
Without all the big words, which most would not be able to comprehend, the breakdown of eating sugar is as follows:
1. Fat around the organs and heart disease
2. Increase blood levels of uric acid which causes gout and high blood pressure
3. Increased risk of fatty liver which can lead to cancer
4. Creates insulin resistance leading to obesity and type II diabetes
5. Insulin resistance may also cause cancer
6. Fructose makes you eat more calories because the brain thinks you are hungry
7. Excess fructose can cause leptin resistance with obesity as a result
8. Sugar is addictive. Who can stop eating after one piece of chocolate or lolly?
Although fructose in fruits is not that harmful a lot of it can hit the liver hard. They also contain fiber which off-sets the damage some-what.
What many don’t realize is that alcohol is also sugar. It has the same components and can lead to production of aldehyde, which causes cirrhosis or hardening of the cells in the liver, stopping them from functioning correctly.
This article can only deal with the warning and anyone interested in the facts should watch the lecture. This is so important and here is the link http://www.healthline.com/nutrition/why-is-fructose-bad-for-you#section1 for all who would care, or should I say dare, to watch it.
