'HEALTHY' SWEETENER COULD CAUSE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE; Alert over fructose in sugary drinks.Byline: EMILY COOK A SUGARY sug·ar·y adj. sug·ar·i·er, sug·ar·i·est 1. Characterized by or containing sugar: sugary foods. 2. Tasting or looking like sugar. 3. ingredient in soft drinks that was thought to be harmless could trigger high blood pressure. High fructose fructose (frŭk`tōs), levulose (lĕv`yəlōs'), or fruit sugar, simple sugar found in honey and in the fruit and other parts of plants. corn syrup corn syrup Sweet syrup produced by breaking down (hydrolyzing) cornstarch (a product of corn). Corn syrup contains dextrins, maltose, and dextrose and is used in baked goods, jelly and jam, and candy. can be found in many processed foods and beverages. But alarming research today reveals more than 74 grams a day - the equivalent of 2.5 sugary soft drinks - raises the risk of high blood pressure significantly. Fructose exists naturally in fruit and HFCS's introduction 20 years ago was thought to be a healthy sweetening method. The study has now found large quantities cause the liver to pump fats into the blood which may damage arteries. Dr Diana Jalal, of Colorado University, said: "These results show high fructose intake is significantly associated with higher blood pressure." US researchers analysed over 4,500 adults with no history of high blood pressure, or hypertension hypertension or high blood pressure, elevated blood pressure resulting from an increase in the amount of blood pumped by the heart or from increased resistance to the flow of blood through the small arterial blood vessels (arterioles). . Two figures are taken to measure the problem, one relating to relating to relate prep → concernant relating to relate prep → bezüglich +gen, mit Bezug auf +acc the heart pumping and the second showing blood pressure between beats. A normal reading is around 120/80 millimetres of mercury depending on age. Consuming over 74 grams of fructose sent this rocketing 87% to 160/100mmHg. Research is now being carried out to see if lowering fructose consumption normalises blood pressure. |
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