Sugar Found in Processed Food “Could Trigger” Dementia

May 06, 2016

A new study is giving us another reason to kick processed foods to the curb. According to a recently conducted research, a sugar common in processed food could alter hundreds of brain genes, which could lead to a wide range of diseases including dementia. This specific sugar is fructose. The study has found that fructose, a sugar common in the Western diet, could actually damage genes in the brain.

People usually consume fructose from foods sweetened by high-fructose corn syrup and from sweetened drinks, syrups, honey, and desserts. Fructose can also be found in baby food and in fruits. However, the fiber in fruits actually slows down the body’s absorption of the sugar; plus, fruits contain other healthy components that are actually good for the body.

The co-senior author of the study, Prof Gomez-Pinilla, recommends “avoiding sugary soft drinks, cutting down on desserts, and generally consuming less sugar and saturated fat.” What also works is finding healthier alternatives for our favorite sweets and desserts. Thankfully You Are Loved Foods has a healthy, delicious, truly paleo selection of products such as chocolate cupcakes, protein bites, and fudge truffles. We also recommend concocting your own drinks using our low-calorie sweetener that contains zero sugar!