The Department of Science and Technology - Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI) is studying the effects of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) on a person’s body weight and the lipid profile.
DOST Secretary Fortunato “Boy” T. de la Peña, during his weekly report on Friday, May 14, announced this initiative in order to order to understand better the effects of HFCS.
The study, de la Peña said, is expected to “shed light on whether or not consumption of high-fructose corn syrup can contribute unwanted calories.”
Such, he said, are linked to health problems such as weight gain, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and high triglyceride levels. “All of these increase a person’s risk to heart disease,” de la Peña added.
Meanwhile, de la Peña that the said project is still under animal study.
DOST-FNRI, he explained, has collaborated with the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) for this study entitled “Effects of High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) and Sucrose (Cane Sugar) on the Body Weight, Body Fat, and Triglyceride Levels in Rats.”
“Kung sakaling ang findings niyan ay hindi naman masyadong malaki ang pagkaka-iba sa dun sa nagte-take ng high fructose and dun sa nagte-take, maaring ituloy yan into studies for humans pero kung makikita na syempre makakasama pala, di na siguro itutuloy sa humans studies (If its findings show that there is not much difference from those who take high fructose and those who take it, this can be continued into studies for humans but if it is found out that this can lead to bad effects, maybe it will not be continued to human studies,)” he ended.
