This Ingredient May Double Your Fat Production, New Study Finds

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You may already be reading food labels for information like calories, carbohydrates, fat and sodium, but according to a recent study by the Journal of hepatology, you may also want to look at the number of added sugars.

Swiss researchers recruited 94 healthy young men and consumed half of a sugary drink each day for seven weeks. The drinks contained either fructose, glucose or sucrose, all common sweeteners that are added to a line of products, from cookies to dressing. The other half of the participants were a control group, which did not have the drinks.

Overall, although the first group did not consume more calories than before the study, the results with fructose and sucrose – which is table sugar, a combination of fructose and glucose – did were particularly striking. (Related: 100 most unhealthy foods on the planet).

Within a few weeks, participants who consumed these drinks showed twice as much fat in the liver as those who consumed drinks containing only glucose. In addition, this effect remained for more than 12 hours after the last drink. It doesn’t just mean The added sugar does double the amount of fat produced, but it also maintains this process long after your last sip or bite.

Keep in mind that added sugar is not the same as the natural sugar found in foods like fruits, grains, or dairy products, according to dietitian Martha Lawder, RDN, adjunct professor of nutrition at California State. University, Sacramento.

In fact, says Lawder, fruit can be a great way to get your sweet fix while still meeting your weight loss or weight management goals, because all fruits are high in micronutrients that help many systems in your body. .

For example, she says mangoes may be high in natural sugar, but they also contain choline, an essential nutrient that’s essential for central nerve function. But added sugars don’t have these nutritional benefits, she adds.

Even more problematic, the type of fat production highlighted in the recent study only adds to your waistline, it increases your risk for fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes, the researchers report.

“Limiting your intake of added sugar is definitely an important strategy for better health,” Lawder says. “Adding options like whole foods, healthy fats and quality protein can help reduce the intake of sugary foods.”

For more information, check out the 15 Best Low Sugar Yogurts, Approved by Dietitians.

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