Saturday Dec 7, 2013 (foodconsumer.org) -- Taking resveratrol dietary supplements may help prevent high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) induced vascular insulin resistance and dysfunction, a study in Food Chemistry and Toxicology suggests.

C. Babacanoglu  from Faculty of Pharmacy, Gazi University in Ankara, Turkey and colleagues conducted the study and found rats fed a diet with 20% calories from the sugar for 12 weeks developed serum triglycerides, very low density lipoprotein cholesterol, glucose, insulin levels in rats while their body weight was not increased.

On the other hand, the researchers also found rats on the high fructose corn syrup diet but also supplemented with resveratrol in a dose of 28 to 30 mg/kg body weight were able to restore many features of HFCS-induced disturbances, probably by regulating eNOS and iNOS production.

It was also found that nitric oxide-mediated relaxation to insulin  was impaired and contraction to endothelin-1 was enhanced both by exposure to high fructose corn suryp.  These were associated with decreased expression of IRS-1 and eNOS mRNA and protein, but increased expression of iNOS, according to the study report.

The study concluded " Resveratrol has capability to recover HFCS-induced disturbances."

Princeton University researchers have early found that fructose is more detrimental than glucose when it comes to weight gain; both are found almost in an equal amount in high fructose corn syrup.  

Resveratrol is a phytochemical found in red grapes.  Media outlets like to say it is found in red wine giving readers an impression that they are promoting use of alcohol.  (Remember that alcoholic beverages are a human carcinogens recognized by the National Toxicology Program.  If you value resveratrol as something that is good for your health, you better stay with red grapes or resveratrol dietary supplements instead of red wine.)

High fructose corn syrup is now called corn sugar, which is misleading opponents say because high fructose corn syrup is not naturally present in corn.   High fructose corn syrup is made from corn using enzymatic technologies.

To be fair, eating small amounts of frcutose or high fructose corn syrup may not be too much of an issue for many people.   Howver, food consumers need to pay attention to how their bodies react to the ingested fructose.  Some people may be more sensitive than others to fructose or high fructose corn syrup.  As always, eat smart. (David Liu, PHD)