LESS FILLING! BRAIN SCANS REVEAL FRUCTOSE NOT AS SATIATING AS OTHER SUGARS

New research suggests that fructose, a simple sugar added to many foods as part of high-fructose corn syrup, does not dampen appetite nearly as much as another simple sugar, glucose.  Researchers posit that consuming foods rich in fructose, which contribute less to fullness, contributes to overeating and weight gain.

For this study, Yale University researchers fed 20 healthy adults drinks with either pure fructose or pure glucose.  Before and after consuming each of the sugars, researchers took brain scans of the participants to assess appetite-related changes in blood flow in the appetite-center, the hypothalamic region, of the brain. When people consumed glucose, levels of hormones that play a role in feeling full were high.  However, when participants consumed fructose, they showed smaller increases in the hormones that are associated with satiety. Thus, these results suggest that fructose does not dampen appetite as much as glucose.  In response to these findings, obesity expert, Dr. Louis Aronne at New York-Presbyterian stated, "Things as subtle as a change in sweetener can have an impact on how full somebody feels, and could lead to an increase in calorie intake and an increasing pattern in obesity seen in this country".

Still, obesity experts cautioned that while these findings are intriguing, it is important to keep in mind that, in the real world, most foods contain a combination of sugars.  Glucose and fructose are both simple sugars that are naturally found in fruits, grains, and sweeteners.  Table sugar is equal parts glucose and fructose.  Dairy contains glucose but not fructose.  High-fructose corn syrup, a common sweetener in soda, usually has a formulation of 55% fructose and 42% glucose. 

What to do:  Regardless of how fructose compares to glucose, minimize your intake of highly sweetened foods and beverages.  To satisfy your sweet tooth, opt for whole-foods that have sweetness such as fruits and starchy vegetables like squash and yams.  Foods such as fruits that contain sugars bound up in plant fibers contain less total sugar and raise blood sugar more slowly than concentrated sources of sugars such as soda, juice, candy, and sweets.  

Adapted from article found at:

http://consumer.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=672039

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/254512.php.

Sources:

"Effects of Fructose vs. Glucose on Regional Cerebral Blood Flow in Brain Regions Involved With Appetite and Reward Pathways"; Page KA, Chan O, Arora J, and others; JAMA 2013;309(1):63-70; DOI:10.1001/jama.2012.116975.
"Fructose Ingestion and Cerebral, Metabolic, and Satiety Responses"; Purnell JQ, Fair DA. JAMA 2013;309(1):85-86; DOI:10.1001/jama.2012.190505