Health Hazards of Fructose and Soda Save

The health consequences of fructose-containing sugars, sucrose and high fructose corn syrup, found in sugar-sweetened beverages and foods, may be numerous and include obesity, type 2 diabetes, gout and cardiovascular disease.

Researchers from Harvard have reviewed and summarized the epidemiological and clinical trial evidence that added sugars, especially sugar-sweetened beverages, may alter the risk of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease

Recent epidemiological studies and meta-analyses from these studies reveals that consuming one or two servings a day has been linked to

• as high as a 26 percent greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes
• a 35 percent greater risk of heart attack or fatal heart disease and
• a 16 percent increased risk of stroke

Glucose is readily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract into the blood and transported by insulin into the body's cells to be used as fuel. Fructose, on the other hand, is metabolized in the liver where it can be converted to fatty compounds called triglycerides, which may lead to fatty liver disease and insulin resistance, key risk factors for developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Overconsumption of fructose can also lead to too much uric acid in the blood, which is associated with a greater risk of gout.

This review also discusses strategies to reduce intake of fructose-containing beverages. (Citation source: http://buff.ly/1hb3ADC)