High-fructose corn syrup, which is now found in everything from soda to crackers to salad dressing, has been noted by many experts as a possible culprit in the obesity epidemic.

Obesity rates since 1980, for instance, have risen at a rate similar to that of high-fructose corn syrup, and nutritionists often advise avoiding it.

However, now some scientists are saying that there is no evidence linking high-fructose corn syrup to obesity, and theories that have emerged are based on misperceptions or coincidence.

The corn syrup, some experts say, is no worse than refined white sugar, and even the two scientists who first opened the debate that the sweetener may be linked to obesity have backed off, saying their paper was just a "suggestion" for further study.

The two scientists also neglected to raise the issue of high-fructose corn syrup at a panel developed to provide guidelines to consumers about nutritional risks and benefits of beverages.

They felt singling out high-fructose corn syrup would be a distraction, when they wanted to focus on limiting beverages with sweeteners.

New York Times July 2, 2006 (Registration Required)

Dr. Mercola's Comment:

The main expert they cite in this article, Dr. Bray, is one that I have used many times before on this topic and pointed to his classic study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition as the landmark review in this area. Here is a link to the free full-text article from April of 2004.

I consulted with one of my good friends who is a pharmacologist and toxicologist, Russ Bianchi, managing director of Adept Solutions, Inc, a global food & beverage formulation firm in Soquel, CA. He is one of the brightest people I know in the sweetener industry and these are his comments:

Willet and Popkin either do not understand that fructose from HFCS is NOT the same molecule that is in sucrose, or for that matter fruit leveulose, or are taking the latest Corn Lobby tactic of confusing the debate, intentionally, because they have sold out, through smoke and mirrors.

Sucrose raises blood glucose and then crashes it, below fasting baseline, within 25 minutes of ingestions -- A FACT.

HFCS or crystalline fructose or hydrolyzed fructose from insulin, convert to triglycerides and adipose tissue, within 60 minutes of ingestion, not blood glucose -- A FACT.

The cheapest ingredient in the American food chain (profit factor) after air, water and salt is HFCS -- A FACT.

MDs have no nutritional or metabolic training in med school -- A FACT.

MDs have no methodology in their teaching to prevent, as opposed to only treat -- A FACT.

Does HFCS significantly contribute to ill health in the U.S. food chain? Yes, follow the insurance companies scrambling in actuarial panic with a sudden and unexplained spike in heart attack death pay-outs among baby boomers ingesting too much HFCS and telling MDs to warn patients to get off soda and HFCS-laden prducts, for profit -- A FACT.

Are Willet & Popkin liars? -- YES.

Ask Willet why "sugar diabetes" is no longer a term in the medical lexicon. The answer is western medicine has known since 1924 sugar and refined sweeteners cause or trigger diabetes, yet the AMA cut 'sugar' out of the diabetes description in the early '60s because they knew they could make more money on treatment, not prevention or cure ...

They have betrayed The Hippocratic Oath -- "First, Do No Harm ... "

Related Articles:
Six Reasons Why Corn is Making You Fat
Fructose is No Answer for a Sweetener
More Problems with Fructose

Dr Bob the Health Builder
Robert D Bard, OD, FAAO
www.drbobthehealthbuilder.com
www.wealthyhealthywise.net

Dr Bob the Health Builder

Robert D Bard, OD, FAAO

I attended West Virginia University and graduated from Pennsylvania College of Optometry with a Bachelor of Science degree and a Doctor of Optometry degree.

As a health professional I was always interested in disease prevention but found the medical model – drug companies and doctors – unacceptable. The medical model towards disease is that they want us – the people – to contract disease and they will prevent us from dieing as long as we continue to take their drugs for the rest of our lives. This is their idea of preventive medicine. The population expects prevention to prevent disease before we get sick.

I became overweight and like most people blamed it on me and my eating habits, but I knew that diets and potions on TV DO NOT WORK and therefore put off doing anything until I stumbled across a solution.

In 1999 I began itching and it got worse almost by the day. I started taking antihistamines to reduce the itching and over a 10 month time period visited 4 dermatologists. The first 3 doctors miss diagnosed my problem. The forth discovered the cause but I had to use a pesticide all over my body to correct the condition – I know this seems strange but I had an infestation of Norwegian mites under my skin (I didn’t even know that mites had a pedigree much less a country of origin).

When I used the pesticide to kill the mites I swelled up like the Pillsbury Dough Boy. With this ordeal I gained even more weight and ended up looking like Porky the Pig. I also lost my sense of taste because of all the antihistamines.

In 2002 I did some consulting work for a supplement company and they gave me a gift book by Sherry Rogers, MD. At the same time I had a patient in my office that sensitive to all chemicals including the chemicals from a carpet that was 6 months old and from my cologne. He had to wear a mask filled with carbon just to get through a basic eye examination. After quizzing him about his condition I discovered that over 6 million people in the US can’t function normally because of toxic chemicals – that means holding down jobs and leading a normal life.

Because of this patient I began to investigate toxic chemicals and how they affect people, particularly my health, my taste, and weight problems. With this information I have lost 70 pounds, gone from a jean size of 50 to 40. I feel better, look better, and my big belly that used to catch food is almost gone. (I no longer catch food on my stomach)

I have discovered that the public is one big toxic chemical experiment by industrial food manufactures, chemical companies that control farm chemicals with Genetically Engineered crops, drug companies and companies that want to dump their waste products without protecting the public.

There are some really good people that write books and educate people about health issues, economic issues, environmental issues, food problems but all these people specialize in certain areas. My job as I see it is to be a reporter and filter the important information to my subscribers.

I have also been a farmer for years and one of my discoveries is that our diseased health economy starts with toxic chemicals and crop land.

Unhealthy Soil = Unhealthy Plants and Animals = Unhealthy People

I also think it is terrible that when people retire at the age of 65 that 97% are in poverty in this nation. I believe that I can help people make extra money in retirement through my experience on eBay and other sources of information. I have a free newsletter that discusses health issues and money issues to help people.

Dr Bob the Health Builder.

www.drbobthehealthbuilder.com