Sweet syndrome

From energy bars to soda, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is in many processed foods. The sugar alternative may have undesirable effects.

IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME (IBS) For some people with IBS, fructose ferments to produce gas, cramping, and diarrhea. Researchers at the University of Iowa in Iowa City found that 30 to 60 percent of patients with IBS can be helped by avoiding fructose-especially HFCS.

METABOLISM Peter Havel, Ph.D., an endocrinology researcher at the University of California, Davis, says fructose acts like fat, triggering none of the beneficial hormonal effects that keep blood sugar levels steady. Translation: Diets high in fructose may promote weight gain.

MAGNESIUM IMBALANCE According to a U.S. Department of Agriculture study, fructose ups the retention of magnesium which crowds out needed calcium, increasing the risk of osteoporosis. "Eating foods in their natural form will automatically limit the amount of HFCS in a person's diet; says Jeannie Moloo, Ph.D., national spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.

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