Discover the Science of Health
Federal officials finalized new regulations on snacks sold in U.S. schools this week, requiring lower limits on the amount of fat, calories, sugar and salt [1]. The USDA’s “Smart Snacks in School” nutrition standards balances science-based nutrition guidelines with practical and flexible solutions to promote healthier eating during the school day.
There are a multitude of alternative sweeteners available on the market today. Some of these, like fructose, contain calories. Others — the so-called non-nutritive sweeteners — do not. While these “artificial” sugars don’t elevate blood glucose like table sugar does (which makes them more appropriate and healthy for diabetics than traditional sugar is), and while the body can’t convert them into fat, they’re not completely free of problems and complications as components of diet.
High-fructose corn syrup, common in processed foods, is more likely than table sugar to increase the rate and amount of weight gain, according to a study in Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior [1]. Specifically, consuming high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) increases the likelihood of gaining abdominal fat, which is particularly dangerous with regard to risk of heart disease.
