Fructose and you

[HookLine]

Said it before, say it again. Fructose is very bad news for you to consume directly in any substantial quantities (as added sugar like high fructose corn syrup or plain table sugar, or in fruit juice, but it is okay when from whole fruit cause the total amount is much lower). It has already been shown to have a whole range of nasty effects on your body. And here is another one:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7219473.stm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Our bodies are set-up to use glucose (dextrose), not fructose.

[rant off]

[belialNZ]

The important point there is "In high quantities". We've consumed fructose as a species for an incredibly long time.

But yeh, its amazing how many people thing a drink is healthy just because its a fruit juice.

I did read an interesting article ona body building website regarding fructose and the bodies inability to process it to glucosamine, in otherwords, fructose will not directly convert to energy for the body, it has to go via the fat mechanism first.

I think I need to drink more water

[HookLine]

Glucose can be directly used by most of the body. Fructose can only be metabolised by the liver. Its negative effect on the liver is equivalent to ethanol, and most of us consume far more fructose than ethanol. There is increasing evidence it is the major dietary contributor to the obesity epidemic.

The reason manufacturers like fructose is that it is much sweeter than glucose, and sweeter foods sell better.

[Uncle Jesse]

High fructose corn syrup is the 6th food group in the U.S.

It's in everything.

[RadicalEd1]

Goodness, listen to these people and we wouldn't be able to eat near anything! No red meats, no beer, no fruit juice, nothing with high fructose corn syrup...I mean I know we could all move to a diet of rice and fish but come on!

My general rule is everything in moderation.

[Uncle Jesse]

My general rule is eat healthy. Range fed beef or chicken, fresh fruit and vegetables, limit the salt, sugar and high fructose corn syrup as much as possible.

We're an obese nation of unhealthy junk food addicts. Plain and simple. Corn is so heavily subsidized that corn syrup is used in practically everything. At 155 lbs I could stand to get into better shape myself and I don't delude myself about it.

We also allow sodium benzoate in soft drinks. The EU is way ahead of us in that area. From wikipedia:

"In combination with ascorbic acid (vitamin C, E300), sodium benzoate and potassium benzoate "may" form benzene[6], a known carcinogen. Heat, light and shelf life can affect the rate at which benzene is formed."

Paranoia? Perhaps, but you only live once and I'm unwilling to risk the health of my self or family just because the FDA allows it.

[Butch50]

I have been studying up on organic gardening and started one this year. I already have onions and cabbage plants in the ground and several more veggies started indoors for transplanting later.

There are some simple and low labor intensive gardening techniques, lasagna gardening, square foot gardening, micro-farming, eco-farming are good search words to use on google to get some great ideas.

It is amazing how many vegetables you can grown in a small garden plot - if using the square foot garden method you can grow enough food annually for one person in about 100 square feet.

I quit drinking soft drinks years ago, just from reading the ingredients list - they sound like a chemical slurry that the epa wouldn't touch. Mostly I drink water and strong black coffee and decaffinated ice-tea, and a bit of the old sour mash now and then. I don't use sugar in anything except for the occasional recipe that requires it, and then I tend to cut down the amount.

I do use sweet and low in my ice-tea because it dissolves easily, but I am thinking of giving that up too - straight tea isn't bad once you get used to it.

[Uncle Jesse]

I remember once someone started a thread and it was amazing how many of our users garden or farm. Something about this crowd, people are very into DIY.

[arkansas]

I am one who does like to garden.

[HookLine]

My general rule is eat healthy. Range fed beef or chicken, fresh fruit and vegetables, limit the salt, sugar and high fructose corn syrup as much as possible.

We're an obese nation of unhealthy junk food addicts. Plain and simple.

<snip>

Paranoia? Perhaps, but you only live once and I'm unwilling to risk the health of my self or family just because the FDA allows it.

That's how I see it. Australia has exactly the same problem with obesity as the USA. We are becoming a nation of fat bastards.

RadicalEd. Try not to see this in the superficial terms of a libertarian/nanny state ideological conflict, this is about hard science and your health. If science says fructose is bad for you, and gives some good reasons why, I am inclined to take that at face value. Who else you going to take advice from, the food manufacturers? Life is short and precious, and I have learned the hard way (and through no fault of my own) just how fragile even the best of health can be, and how crappy your existence can be without it.

[blanikdog]

We are becoming a nation of fat bastards.

That's mean, Hook. You've been looking.

blanik

[Dnderhead]

Get a job at desk make big bucks buy food crap from china ------
then wonder what happens to people and economy I think US
hast to get back to basics

[belialNZ]

I remember once someone started a thread and it was amazing how many of our users garden or farm. Something about this crowd, people are very into DIY.

I unfortunately live in a warehouse apartment in the middle of the city, so no real garden ability, however I am growing some fascinating berry plants I found called Orange Berries... I hope one day to use them for a flavouring.

Ultimately I want a house out of the city near a water source so I can be more self sufficient, its a very attractive lifestyle. And I want geese

Actually, I'm tremendously dissapointed that telecommuting appears to be nothing more than a dream, I always hoped that one day my skills would be financially rewarded in a work environment that offered me the lifestyle I desire, but alas, telecommuting is still a long way off, if ever likely to occur, so as a technology worker, I end up in cities.

[DestructoMutt]

belialNZ wrote-

telecommuting is still a long way off, if ever likely to occur

move to India, you can then telecommute to the USA.

[BW Redneck]

belialNZ wrote-

telecommuting is still a long way off, if ever likely to occur

move to India, you can then telecommute to the USA.

[belialNZ]

hehehe, fair point.

I was thinking in a more skilled environment than answering the phone and refusing to help

[DestructoMutt]

i was kidding and serious.

we have some serious "outsourcing" happening here.

in the legal/law area - work done by paralegals is now being done by people in India.

we have engineering design work being done by engineers in India - structural, civil, electrical, etc.

whole IT departments and server farms are being outsourced to India - connect to them via your desktop "drone" at the office.

about the only jobs they haven't outsourced are the funeral homes, and construction work.

[tracker0945]

I think that one has to go back a bit where the old adage was everything in MODERATION.
Just be aware that what ever we eat, drink or associate with can harm us, so do not go to excess on anything.
An old friend once told me that everything is dangerous, even water will kill you - if you hold your head under it long enough.
I have given up worrying about it but I do make certain choices.
Cheers.

[HookLine]

I think that one has to go back a bit where the old adage was everything in MODERATION.
Just be aware that what ever we eat, drink or associate with can harm us, so do not go to excess on anything.

Fair enough, Tracker. Didn't mean my comments to sound like a Calvinist sermon. I'm carrying a few extra kilos myself.

An old friend once told me that everything is dangerous, even water will kill you - if you hold your head under it long enough.

Can't remember who offhand, but a famous physician said 'the dose makes the poison'. Meaning either too much (or too little) of most substances is a problem. Salt is a good example, you absolutely need some, but too much will kill you, slowly or quickly.

[BW Redneck]

Can't remember who offhand, but a famous physician said 'the dose makes the poison'. Meaning either too much (or too little) of most substances is a problem. Salt is a good example, you absolutely need some, but too much will kill you, slowly or quickly.

A near 500 year old one:

Theophrastus Phillipus Auroleus Bombastus von Hohenheim (1493 - 1541) (also referred to as Paracelsus, ...) is widely regarded as "the father" of toxicology. He is credited with the classic toxicology soundbite "All things are poison and nothing is without poison; only the dose makes a thing a poison." The original German reads: "Alle Dinge sind Gift und nichts ist ohne Gift; allein die Dosis macht, dass ein Ding kein Gift ist." This is often condensed to "The dose makes the poison".

I agree with everything in moderation. 1 drink per night is supposed to prevent cardiac troubles because ethanol acts as a vasodilator. But, a severe alcoholic may have cirrhosis and a huge risk for cancer.

[HookLine]

Thanks for that, BW.