Sweet Is as Sweet Does

Sugar, that ubiquitous sweet substance we all love, is comprised of fructose & glucose (50%/50%) as you learned here. HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) is also comprised of fructose & glucose in a very similar ratio (55%/45% or 42%/58%). So why is HFCS vilified, sugar not and honey, agave syrup and evaporated cane juice all but ignored?

Both fructose and glucose have the chemical formula of C6H12O6, but have different configurations (where the atoms are located) and so have different sweetness levels and are metabolized differently. Fructose is absorbed through the wall of the small intestine directly into the bloodstream and taken up into the liver cells where it is converted into components indistinguishable from glucose and sometimes into glucose. A downside of each: glucose needs insulin to get into your cells, fructose doesn't, so it has a high glycemic response while fructose is more likely to elevate your triglyceride levels.

In sugar the monosaccharides fructose & glucose are linked, unlike in HFCS where they are not. Enzymes in your digestive system break down the links into the individual monosaccharides fructose and glucose which are processed identically to monosaccharides consumed separately. Since all of these products will end up as monosaccharides, it is impossible to say one is inherently better or worse for you.

In addition, the University of Washington Nutritional Science Program performed a study which showed that there was no direct link between the type of sweetener consumed and obesity. While the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study results showed that cane sugar and HFCS have similar effects on hunger, fullness and food consumption.

Whether you consume sugar (50% fructose), HFCS (42 or 55% fructose), honey (53% fructose), agave nectar (56 -92% fructose) or evaporated cane juice (45% fructose), your body is going to treat them all the same. That is not to say that there is not a difference between eating a piece of fruit (a pear for instance) or a candy bar. While your body may not distinguish one fructose molecule from another, the pear has water (a diluent), fiber, vitamins and minerals which the candy bar most certainly does not.

So, enjoy your sweets in moderation and don't get caught up in all the hype; we could all do better at consuming less sugar in any of its forms!

UPDATE! American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Supplements:

1. High Fructose Corn Syrup: Everything You Wanted to Know, But Were Afraid to Ask
2. Straight Talk About HFCS: What it is and what it ain't
3. HFCS: Is This What's For Dinner?
4. Endocrine & metabolic effects of consuming beverages sweetened with fructose, glucose, sucrose or HFCS
5. HFCS, energy intake and appetite regulation

Are you a Flexitarian?

You know what a vegetarian is, and if you watch Wendy's commercials you've heard the term they coined - meatitarian, but what is a flexitarian? The American Dialect Society defines flexitarian as: a vegetarian who occasionally eats meat. My industry takes a bit broader view of the term.

To the food industry a flexitarian is a part-time vegetarian; someone who may eat vegetarian meals from 1-4 times per week. Since so many of us are trying to eat more healthfully, a large portion of the population probably meets this definition. In fact, given that humans are omnivores, it really is no surprise that we don't eat meat at every meal. Flexitarian meals may fall into multiple vegetarian categories too, like lacto-vegetarian (contains dairy products), ovo-vegetarian (contains eggs), ovo-lacto-vegetarian (contains both dairy and egg) and total vegetarian (or vegan).

Since health is often the primary driver for this type of eating, substanitive, hearty proteins that are filling are usually preferred. A flexitarian often chooses substitute protein sources like tofu, whole grains, and legumes to replace the traditional center of the plate chicken, beef, pork or fish. We can all use more vegetables, fruits, and whole grains in our diet regardless of how we categorize ourselves - so eat well and be well!