If you're like most Americans, there's a good chance your diet includes too much high fructose corn syrup. In the last few decades, more and more people have turned to processed foods. Many of these processed foods include high fructose corn syrup, which has been found to be potentially damaging to your health. As a result, a debate has risen over whether high fructose corn syrup is as bad for you as sugar is. In order to make sure that you're as healthy as possible, you should consider whether a diet that includes sugar or high fructose corn syrup is better for you. Here are more facts about both sugar and high fructose corn syrup.
Why Sugar May Actually Be Better for You
All your life, you've probably been told that sugar is bad for you. As a kid, your parents probably tried to keep you away from it in order to keep you under control. But the truth is that sugar is actually essential to your body. When eaten in moderation, sugar can help your body by giving you energy and helping you to make it through your day. Because of this, your body needs sugar and, at times, even craves it. The issue arises when you consider where you get your sugar from. For instance, you can eat a chocolate candy bar and get a sugar buzz, but this is not necessarily good for your health. Instead, you should try to eat natural sources of sugar. An apple, for example, includes sugar and can give you the same rush of sugar that you desire. Your body will have an easier time digesting this type of natural sugar. It's one reason sugar is actually considered better for you than high fructose corn syrup.
Why High Fructose Corn Syrup May Not Be Good for You
Those who have argued that high fructose corn syrup is not that bad for you often point to the fact that even organic foods have sugar in them. But the reason that high fructose corn syrup can be so dangerous to you is that your body is not designed to digest high fructose corn syrup. So while your body can digest sugar in just a day or so, it often takes three or four days to digest high fructose corn syrup. If you're eating products that contain high fructose corn syrup every day, you can imagine how long that it takes your body to digest all of it. It's one of the main reasons that many experts believe the rise in obesity in America is tied to all of the high fructose corn syrup that is used in today's foods.
If you want to maintain a healthy diet, you shouldn't eat too much sugar or too much high fructose corn syrup. Rather, you should try to limit both and, when possible, eat foods that have natural sugars in them. Organic foods and most fruits and vegetables contain natural sugars that are better for you than high fructose corn syrup. Remember this the next time you need a sugar rush!
