And it goes to pot

[strredwolf]

Last week I was informed Dad was diagnosed as pre-diabetic. This is the big huge kaxon-sounding WARNING WARNING WARNING they give now saying your kidneys are going to shut down any day now if you don't change your ways.

He did some research and saw some reference to a Princeton University paper, and asked me about it. I told him it was on Slashdot last year (aka 2010). March 22, 2010 to be exact.

And now the parents are going off the deep end. Dad's going to go through the cabinets, taking out all the foods and condiments that have HFCS and tossing them, replacing them with sugared or organic substitutes.

I worry this will cost them. I urge caution, and a progressive approach instead of going whole-hog.

Comments

[witchiebunny.livejournal.com]

I don't think it's as serious as "YOUR KIDNEYS WILL SHUT DOWN ANY DAY!"

I've been pre-diabetic since I was 16, due to a condition I developed that can't be cured. And my kidneys are fine. I watch my sugar intake very carefully.

[terminotaur.livejournal.com]

Its not a OMGWTFBBQ get it out of the house before my pancreas explodes thing. Does mean you have to change diet.

But, umm, if its switching HFCS for regular sugar, its still a sugar. That'd be my biggest concern here, that they'd think "oh well, its more natural so its not bad". Sort of how some people think that sugars in fruit juice don't count.

Yes, caution is a very good idea.

[kusanagi-sama.livejournal.com]

There's a difference between HFCS and sugar. HFCS is actually more readily absorbed than sugar because of the fact that every sugar molecule in HFCS is free and unbound. You body has to process sugar in an extra step or two before it can absorb the molecules in it.

[kusanagi-sama.livejournal.com]

To add to my previous comment. There's been a study on lab rats fed HFCS sweetened water and rat chow vs sugar sweetened water and rat chow. The rats fed the HFCS more readily gained weight and became obese compared to the rats fed sugar.

[strredwolf.livejournal.com]

http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S26/91/22K07/

[kusanagi-sama.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's the exact story I read. I just happened to forget how I found it.

[bibliophage.livejournal.com]

I don't see how it's going to 'cost them'. It might be more expensive, yes, but I personally think the products are a bit healthier. For example, I buy the cheaper Kroger brand peanut butter. It's cheaper, it tastes fine, and it has _no_ high fructose corn syrup in it. Just molasses (cane or sorghum sugar) oil, peanuts, and salt.