Increased Use Of Fructose – But Not Glucose – Linked To Obesity Epidemic

A new U.S. study in rodents finds that there are major differences in the body’s reaction to different types of sugar, particularly glucose and fructose. Consumption of glucose reduced cerebral blood flow and activity in regions of the brain that regulate appetite, and increased ratings of satiety and fullness. Fructose – a key ingredient in high fructose corn syrup – did none of these things. According to the researchers, fructose possibly increases food-seeking behavior and increases food intake and perhaps obesity. Increases in fructose consumption “have paralleled the increasing prevalence of obesity,” they noted, and seem to “promote weight gain and insulin resistance.”