A recent social media post about a Canadian woman living in the United States who discovered that the ingredients in a major brand of ketchup manufactured in Canada and the United States were different caused quite a stir. Online discussion centered around whether the inclusion of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in the US product posed an increased risk of fatty liver disease.
The ingredients listed in the US and Canadian products were as follows;
Heinz Tomato Ketchup (America): Tomato concentrate from red ripe tomatoes, distilled vinegar, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, salt, spice, onion powder, natural flavoring.
Heinz Tomato Ketchup (Canada): Tomato paste (from fresh, ripe tomatoes), sugar, vinegar, salt, spices
One Difference Between the US and Canadian Ketchup
The significant difference between the two ingredient lists was that the US-manufactured ketchup used high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and corn syrup to sweeten the product, whereas the Canadian ketchup was sweetened using sugar (sucrose).
High Intakes of Fructose and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
There have been a few research articles over the last several years which seemed to indicate that large intakes of fructose may be linked to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) but I had not yet written anything about it, largely due to a lack of time. This recent social media post going viral made me want to write a brief post pointing to some recent evidence that large intakes of fructose, including high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) may pose a risk of NAFLD.
What is fructose?
Fructose is a natural occurring sugar that is present in fruit, some vegetables and honey and which is used as a component in the manufacture of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) which is used as a sweetener in soda (soft drinks, pop), in candies, and in condiments such as ketchup.
Approximately a quarter (24%) of US adults have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) which results in the excess build-up of fat in the liver that is unrelated to heavy alcohol use [1]. NAFLD is a serious condition that can progress to chronic liver damage, and lead to death [1].
An expert talk given this time last year at Endo 2022, the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society which took place from June 11-14, 2022, in Atlanta, Georgia, titled Fructose Consumption and NAFLD in US Adult Population presented evidence that non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with high intakes of fructose.
The researchers analyzed data from the 3,292 US adults enrolled in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2017-2018 and found that those who consumed the greatest amount of fructose were Mexican Americans (48%), non-Hispanic Blacks (44%), with a lower percentage of fructose consumption amongst non-Hispanic whites (33%).
The researchers found the highest prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) amongst Mexican Americans who consumed the highest amount of fructose (70%) which was significantly different than the prevalence of NAFLD in Mexican Americans that consumed the lowest amount of fructose (52%) [2]. When researchers adjusted for body composition and laboratory variables, they found that high fructose consumption was related to a higher risk of NAFLD in the total population, not only in Mexican Americans [2].
The researchers concluded that “there is an association between fructose consumption and the odds of developing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)” and that “interventions should aim to decrease consumption of fructose overall” [1,2].
The researchers recommended that health care providers encourage people to consume less food and beverages with high-fructose corn syrup to prevent the development of NAFLD [1].
Final Thoughts…
Consuming small amounts of ketchup sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup in and by itself does not pose a risk of developing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Where the risk lies is for people who are consuming fruit juice, soda pop, candy and condiments including ketchup that contain high-fructose corn syrup.
The recommendation of the Endocrinologists above is to encourage people to consume less of these foods and beverages to prevent the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
To your good health!
Joy
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References
- Williams, Colleen, Reports and Proceedings of the Endocrine Society, News Release June 12, 2022, People who consume too much high fructose corn syrup could be at risk for NAFLD, https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/955131
- Kermah D, Najjar S, Puri V, Schrode K, Shaheen M, Zarrinpar A, Friedman T. OR10-5 Fructose Consumption and NAFLD in US Adult Population of NHANES 17-18. J Endocr Soc. 2022 Nov 1;6(Suppl 1):A17. doi: 10.1210/jendso/bvac150.035. PMCID: PMC9625025.
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