Guys - lay off the sugar

Manage the amount of fructose you are consuming if you want to lose weight and avoid health issues.

Fructose is a commonly available form of sugar and you may be consuming more than you think. Table sugar is 50/50 fructose and glucose while fructose is commonly used as a sweetener in packaged products and sweetened drinks.

Research has found metabolic syndrome increased in the two weeks subjects were on a high fructose diet. (See blogs on syndrome x/metabolic syndrome http://how2-lose-weight.com/2009/08/and insulin resistance http://how2-lose-weight.com/2009/08/insulin-resistance/)

Fructose also raises blood pressure!  The research found blood pressure in men increased in just two weeks on a high fructose diet.

While the links between obesity, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes are well known there also appears to be links to kidney disease and gout, with subjects on the high fructose diet also having raised uric acid levels.

Fruit has lower levels of fructose than sweetened foods and has goodies such as antioxidants, vitamin C, potassium and fibre.

So – to lose weight and be healthy go for fruit and leave the sweetened drink on the shelf.  Regards, Keith

reference: R Johnson et al, American Heart Association, 63rd High Blood Pressure Research Conference, September, 2009