According to a new study featured in Nutrition Journal, people can still lose weight even if they consume typical amounts of sugar or high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), as long as their overall caloric intake is reduced.
James M. Rippe, M.D., one of the study authors, says:
“Our research debunks the vilification of high fructose corn syrup in the diet. The results show that equally reduced-calorie diets caused similar weight loss regardless of the type or amount of added sugars. This lends further support to findings by our research group and others that table sugar and HFCS are metabolically equivalent.”
The findings are important for people who try to lose weight and also for those who are concerned about the type of added sugars in foods and beverages they consume. The researchers decided to investigate sweeteners that are consumed in real-world diets at typical levels in American consumers.
Dr. Rippe explained: “We wanted to design a study that would generate information that is useful and applicable to the way people actually eat, not speculative results on simulated laboratory diets that focus on one component at extreme dietary levels.”
The researchers conducted a randomized double blind trial that involved 247 overweight or obese people between the ages of 25 to 60 years. At the end of the 12-week reduced-calorie diet, the team saw no evidence that either table sugar or HFCS stopped people from losing weight when the overall amount of calories they consumed was reduced.
Dr. Rippe concludes:
“Misinformation about added sugars, particularly high fructose corn syrup, has caused many people to lose sight of the fact that there is no silver bullet when it comes to weight loss. A reduction in calorie consumption, along with exercise and a balanced diet, is what’s most important when it comes to weight loss.”
Written by Petra Rattue