Scientists Prove Fructose-Diabetes Link

by: Jill Richardson

Wed Dec 16, 2009 at 20:38:22 PM PST

Over 10 weeks, 16 volunteers on a strictly controlled diet, including high levels of fructose, produced new fat cells around their heart, liver and other digestive organs. They also showed signs of food-processing abnormalities linked to diabetes and heart disease. Another group of volunteers on the same diet, but with glucose sugar replacing fructose, did not have these problems.

People in both groups put on a similar amount of weight. However, researchers at the University of California who conducted the trial, said the levels of weight gain among the fructose consumers would be greater over the long term.

Fructose bypasses the digestive process that breaks down other forms of sugar. It arrives intact in the liver where it causes a variety of abnormal reactions, including the disruption of mechanisms that instruct the body whether to burn or store fat.

"This is the first evidence we have that fructose increases diabetes and heart disease independently from causing simple weight gain," said Kimber Stanhope, a molecular biologist who led the study. "We didn't see any of these changes in the people eating glucose."

So I guess I have to quit making fun of people who proudly drink 100% cane sugar soda and act like it's a health food. Just an FYI - fruits are 5%-10% fructose by weight. I'm guessing there's more of it in fruit juice, which is why it's better to eat fruit than to chug lots of fruit juice.

Here's an article about this same topic by Fooducate. Their #1 recommendation is to skip the soda aisle at the store.

health care - lower the cost, and pay for the rest

by: teacherken

Sat Sep 19, 2009 at 06:18:53 AM PDT

Imagine that someone proposed a path to universal health care that would significantly lower the cost and provide the means to pay for the rest of it.  One would think that politicians and the American people would jump at the chance.  And yet. . .  I had a parent who is a geologist speak with my students on energy policy this week, and among the things he reminded them is that there is no free lunch and everything is connected to everything else.

This diary is written as a result of two op eds in today's major newspapers.  Neal Bernard, a nutrition researcher and president of the  Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine offer Neal Barnard: Another Way to Reduce Costs -- Get Healthier, and the Boston Globe's Derrick Jackson argues Soda Tax:  It's the Real Thing

You should read both.  I will explore both and offer some thoughts of my own.

New Toxic Concerns With HFCS

by: JayinPortland

Thu Aug 27, 2009 at 14:42:40 PM PDT

The researcher from the USDA reached their conclusion after measuring HMF levels in samples of HFCS over a 35 day time frame, at temperatures of 31.5, 40.0, 49.0 and 68.8ºc.

They saw that HMF levels increased steadily with temperature, and that there was a dramatic jump at 49 ºc. The chemical forms as the fructose dehydrates, with mineral and organic acids acting as catalysts.

Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) (for a fun read, here is its MSDS) is -

a toxin that causes gut ulceration and dysentery-like symptoms in bees. In humans it has been linked to DNA damage, and its daughter metabolites levulinic and formic acids have also been seen to cause harm.

HFCS is, of course, a ubiquitous ingredient in processed foods and soft drinks, and is also used as feed by many commercial beekeepers.

The study was published in the current issue of The Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

(h/t to Organic George for the link)

Starbucks is Introducing "Healthier" Food

by: Jill Richardson

Mon Jun 08, 2009 at 09:00:00 AM PDT

So what is this new, healthful food? Apples, carrots, and celery sticks? Not quite. According to Reuters:

On June 30, the world's top coffee chain will begin selling baked goods without high-fructose corn syrup or artificial flavors and dyes, and will introduce salads and other items.

Let me be clear - as Barack Obama would say - I am absolutely an advocate of getting artificial food dyes, preservatives, and HFCS out of our food supply. No doubt about that. But does that then make the food "healthful"? I was presented with that same question very, very often when I scooped gelato for customers at a Whole Foods bakery a few years back. "Is it healthy?" the customers would always ask. Well... it's made from real ingredients (a good thing), but that doesn't negate the fact that it's chock full of sugar, fat, and calories. Just because Whole Foods doesn't use artificial food dyes or preservatives doesn't mean you won't get fat if you eat too much at their bakery. I would know - I gained 20 lbs on the job!

So, nice job, Starbucks. What you are doing is commendable, but I have a hunch that the PR boost you'll get from this new and improved line of food will outweigh the health effects for your customers.

Congress Talks About Getting the Mercury out of Fish & HFCS

by: Jill Richardson

Sat May 23, 2009 at 16:26:19 PM PDT

The manufacturing process for chlorine and caustic soda also emits mercury pollution into the atmosphere, where it gets into our waterways and our fish. While this bill entirely fixes the mercury in HFCS problem, it will only reduce the amount of mercury in fish. But - that's better than nothing and it's an important step in the solution.

I'm not sure what the chances of this passing are because the Energy & Commerce committee has a LOT on its plate (most prominently, the climate change bill, which it just passed out of committee, and also food safety legislation). But the chair of the committee, Henry Waxman, is a bulldog ("the mustache of justice") so maybe he'll get something done on this issue.

Details about the testimony heard is below.

A Bill to Get Mercury Out of HFCS

by: Jill Richardson

Thu Apr 30, 2009 at 12:00:00 PM PDT

So far she's got 15 co-sponsors:
Rep. Grace Napolitano [D-CA]
Rep. Lynn Woolsey [D-CA]
Rep. Raul Grijalva [D-AZ]
Rep. Barbara Lee [D-CA]
Rep. Phil Hare [D-IL]
Rep. Howard Berman [D-CA]
Rep. David Price [D-NC]
Rep. Joe Sestak [D-PA]
Rep. Frank Pallone [D-NJ]
Rep. Gerald Connolly [D-VA]
Rep. Diane Watson [D-CA]
Rep. Sam Farr [D-CA]
Rep. James Moran [D-VA]
Rep. Russ Carnahan [D-MO]
Rep. Mazie Hirono [D-HI]

If you don't see your rep's name listed here, give them a call and ask them to co-sponsor it.

The Future of Foods: Giant Databases to Empower Consumers

by: Asinus Asinum Fricat

Sat Apr 11, 2009 at 10:55:59 AM PDT

What does it do? Simply put, it is a searchable database which allows consumers to compare foods from different manufacturers according to which ingredients or nutrients they wish to avoid or find. Do you suffer from allergies? No problem. Log on, create an account and see what it does for you. Type the word chocolate and you will have a number of manufacturers listing not only their products but what's in them. The database currently has over 20,000 products listed, not quite there yet, but it is growing daily.

This will complement USDA's own database, the Dietary Supplement Ingredients Database (DSID) which will be available to the public sometimes this month.

Conflicting Views on the HFCS Front

by: Asinus Asinum Fricat

Fri Apr 03, 2009 at 07:51:09 AM PDT

The way fructose is metabolized in the brain may increase food intake and lead to obesity, according to a new review from the US.

The lead researcher, M. Daniel Lane from The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, explains:

"We feel that these findings may have particular relevance to the massive increase in the use of high fructose sweeteners (both high fructose corn syrup and table sugar) in virtually all sweetened foods, most notably soft drinks".

However Dr Lane added that he did not wish to give the impression that HFCS is the only problem:

"since sucrose/table sugar contains only a slightly lower percentage of fructose than HFCS".

Dr Lane said consumption of both HFCS and table sugar in the USA is about 65.8 kg (145 pounds) per year per person. Wow!

I like this, it goes a long way to point the finger to soft drinks, something we have known for quite some time:

"I hasten to point out that the situation is probably most critical with the younger population, particularly in the USA, where many children receive enormous amounts of fructose in soft drinks which they consume continuously and acutely. This would be expected to lead to substantial blood levels of fructose, as well as glucose".

Pot Luck (And A Little Fun at the Expense of High Fructose Corn Syrup)

by: Jill Richardson

Sun Mar 22, 2009 at 19:00:00 PM PDT

Use this diary as an open thread.

High Fructose Corn Syrup and Mercury News

by: Jill Richardson

Thu Mar 05, 2009 at 12:50:15 PM PST

Well, IATP has responded. They say:

The paper was released in conjunction with a peer-reviewed article that reported on testing by the Food and Drug Administration, which found that nearly 50 percent of HFCS tested contained mercury.

For more info on this story from IATP, check out their FAQ.

PSA from the Corn Refiners Association

by: Jill Richardson

Wed Feb 25, 2009 at 16:54:10 PM PST

The second study was sponsored by the Corn Refiners Association and conducted by ChemRisk, which was founded by Dennis Paustenbach. He's a former Bush appointee to CDC's National Center for Environmental Health and an expert witness who testified against Erin Brockovich in her famous PG&E case from the movie (follow-up research reveals that Erin Brockovich was right, by the way). One friend wrote to me:

I am reading an excellent book by David Michaels called Doubt is their Product about the chemical industry's deception, and ChemRisk is listed in the index no fewer than 10 times. 'nuff said.

Anyway, the ChemRisk study found that IATP's study was flawed. So, I wanted to share that with you. I am sorry for only sharing one side of the argument in my article yesterday.

Every Third Bite

by: asimbagirl

Mon Feb 16, 2009 at 15:11:46 PM PST

At any rate, during our email conversations, I learned that Wendy had recently produced her first documentary short, about honeybees. She sent me a link to her film, and I have to tell you, watching this short 9 minute documentary did change my life.

More, including a link to her documentary, below.

Too Sweet To Resist: The Corn Refiners' Response

by: Jill Richardson

Fri Jan 30, 2009 at 08:00:00 AM PST

The Corn Refiners Association (CRA) today challenged the relevance and accuracy of information published by Environmental Health asserting that certain tests found measurable levels of mercury in high fructose corn syrup.

"This study appears to be based on outdated information of dubious significance. Our industry has used mercury-free versions of the two re-agents mentioned in the study, hydrochloric acid and caustic soda, for several years. These mercury-free re-agents perform important functions, including adjusting pH balances," stated Audrae Erickson, President, Corn Refiners Association. "For more than 150 years, corn wet millers have been perfecting the process of refining corn to make safe ingredients for the American food supply."

"It is important that Americans are provided accurate, science-based information. They should know that high fructose corn syrup is safe," continued Erickson. "In 1983, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration formally listed high fructose corn syrup as safe for use in food and reaffirmed that decision in 1996."

"High fructose corn syrup contains no artificial or synthetic ingredients or color additives and meets FDA's requirements for the use of the term 'natural.'" Erickson said.

My sides hurt from laughing. Well, there's one way to deal with bad PR. Pull a Sarah Palin: Just deny it flat out. But it's hard to deny since mercury was found IN ACTUAL POPULAR BRAND NAME FOODS.

Mercury: God, Planet, or Neurotoxin?

by: Jill Richardson

Wed Jan 28, 2009 at 18:17:11 PM PST

After all, canned albacore tuna has an average of .353 ppm (parts per million) mercury, whereas foods containing HFCS tested only as high as 350 ppt (parts per trillion). The tuna has over 1000 times more mercury than the HFCS.

The discussion continues below.

Mercury Rising... In Your Food

by: Jill Richardson

Tue Jan 27, 2009 at 13:30:00 PM PST

The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy found it in 9 out of 20 HCFS samples from 3 manufacturers. Then they tested 55 brand name foods and beverages and found mercury in 1/3 of them.

The mercury comes originally from chlor-alkali plants used to make caustic soda. The caustic soda is used, in turn, to separate corn starch from the corn kernal. The mercury can contaminate the caustic soda and then contaminate the HFCS. There IS newer, cleaner technology that the chlor-alkali plants can use (in fact, only 4 U.S. plants still use mercury and the rest don't).

The Green Fork called mercury "our melamine," pointing out that the FDA has known about the problem for years. I also enjoyed how they used the occasion to take a jab at the bullshit pro-HFCS campaign.

More below...