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# Sugar in processed food, obesity, obesity, and cancer
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/processed_food_obesity_obesity_and_cancer_0421120650/
- Published: 2012-04-21T19:48:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T15:55:20.000Z
- Description: Sugar and high fructose corn syrup hide in most processed foods, condiments and sauces, sometimes labelled as dextrose or corn syrup. HFCS is cheaper than sugar, goes mostly to the liver, and what is not used for energy is stored as fat; US sugar use has climbed steeply.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Food, Nutrition, Sugar, #vivvo-import

By Marie Cendejas

Sugar and high fructose corn syrup are not just in soft drinks, pastries, and candies, they are also hidden in most processed foods, condiments, and sauces. At times the sweetening ingredients in foods and condiments are hidden as a dextrose or corn syrup instead of sugar or HFCS, according to Natural News.

Sugar is everywhere in the normal American diet. Foods from convenience stores, fast foods, and foods served at upscale restaurants are usually full of sugar or HFCS.

HFCS has become the sweetener of choice because it's cheaper than sugar. Many say it might be worse for you. Most of the HFCS goes directly to the liver before it gets metabolized anywhere else, and what isn't used for energy from high fructose corn syrup is stored as fat. 

Some infant formulas contain sugar or HFCS in amounts equal to a can of soda. 

Sugar became a household product in the 18th Century. The use of sugar has increased from 4 pounds per person yearly to 180 pounds yearly for half the American population. HFCS use has increased over 10,000% since its introduction into processed foods and beverages in the 70s.

Obesity levels are higher now than ever. One-third of Americans are obese and another third are overweight.

Obesity and overweight conditions usually lead to pre-diabetes and diabetes type 2, which can also cause kidney disease. If it remains the same, it can lead to heart attacks and strokes.

Many make a couple of mistakes when they realize they need to cut down or completely eliminate sugar and high fructose corn syrup from their diet. The first is to use artificial sweeteners such as Splenda.

Another mistake is to cut out obvious sweets and sodas while continuing to frequent fast food places and eat processed food meals at home. The gradual transition from the standard American diet should be toward cutting out processed and fast food meals completely, since most are laced with sugar or HFCS.

Studies are beginning to determine that consuming lots of sugar or HFCS leads to cancer. Anaerobic cancer cells do thrive on sugar. They depend on fermenting glucose (sugar) for their energy because they've lost the ability to metabolize with oxygen.

Also when sugar is ingested, high levels of insulin and cancer-promoting insulin-like-growth-hormone are produced, which explains from another perspective why eating sugar increases cancer risk.