High fructose corn syrup is in everything from bread to yogurt — and a new study suggests that fructose can promte obesity and colorectal cancer.
So can you just eliminate it from your diet entirely? A Maryland gastroenterologist said that’s probably impractical. But there are things you can do.
“Getting a well-balanced diet and minimizing foods that are high in fructose corn syrup is your best bet,” said Dr. Dana Sloane of the Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group.
Sloane, who was not involved with the study, is chief of gastroenterology at Kaiser Permanente’s South Baltimore County Medical Center.
People looking to limit fructose, she said, can focus on sodas, juices and processed baked goods, such as cakes, cookies and pies.
“That’s the easiest way for most people to immediately lower the risk of both obesity and potentially certain types of cancers,” Sloane said. She added that a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or above makes people about 30% more likely to develop colorectal cancer than people of normal weight.
“Beyond that, a higher BMI is also associated with increased risks of other types of cancers: esophageal cancer, gastric cancer, liver cancer, but also non-gastrointestinal cancers like breast cancer,” she said.
February is National Cancer Prevention Month, and Sloane advised people to “make sure that you’re up to date with all your cancer screenings, especially colorectal cancer screening. Colorectal cancer, by and large, is a preventable disease If you’re getting appropriate screening.”
The study suggesting excessive consumption of fructose can help drive growth of cancer cells in the intestines was funded in part by the National Cancer Institute. It found that mice that were fed diets rich in high fructose corn syrup had an increased risk of obesity and a higher risk of tumor growth and anemia.
“They also looked at, in a very nuanced way, things such as how tumor cells can behave under certain metabolic conditions influenced by high fructose corn syrup,” Sloane said. “So the reason that all this is of any interest is that it may shed light on why tumors behave the way they do, and the impact that diet and obesity may have on colorectal tumors.”
The researchers are beginning human studies to see if similar results occur in people, according to a statement from the National Cancer Institute.
Sloane emphasized that not all sugars are bad.
“And in fact, a lot of naturally occurring sugars such as those found in fruits are actually good for you – you get the secondary benefit for example with fruits of having additional fiber,” Sloane said.
