*** Anti-scientists advisory: explicit citations ***

Ellie:

> I have no proof at all that altered or denatured sugars are formed in
> cooking or in genetically altered fruits, but don't you think the
> possibility is worth investigation?

This includes two questions:
 -do some cooked sugars differ from raw sugar?
 -are altered sugars mis-metabolized?

I have no clue about either question.

> there is evidence that "The combination of accelerated AGE
> formation due to diabetes, plus the daily ingestion of AGEs from cooked
> foods over the years may pose an increased risk to the vascular system
> and kidney."

I found a few references related to the above.

Rats fed 5% to 10% Maillard reaction products (MRP) show various pathologies
(including of the kidney) (1). Rats fed for 8 to 10 weeks with a mixture of
casein and glucose which had been previously heated for 4 days at 65 degree C
showed abnormalities of the kidney (2).

There is evidence that MRP clearance by the kidney of diabetics is impaired,
which causes elevated serum AGE (3). That may constitute an added chronic risk
for renal-vascular injury in diabetes: it had been previously shown (4) by
injecting AGEs in nondiabetic rabbits that elevated serum AGEs contribute to
atherogenesis.

Now, let me comment: dietary AGEs can be a problem for diabetics because (i)
there is an accelerated formation of AGEs in the body (ii) AGE clearance is
impaired in diabetics. Note that in experiments (1, 2), rats are fed a
considerable amount of MRPs: no one cooks his food for 4 days, and formation of
MRPs is faster in artificial mixtures of casein+glucose than in whole foods.

I have no idea of the consequences of traditionally cooked food in nondiabetic
people (and diabetes wouldn't exist if people sticked to paleolithically correct
foods).

P.S. The stop of apricot kernels is not easy to describe. The sensation is like
with apple seeds, but hundreds of times stronger. I have a sensation in the
throat-nose area, distantly related to what happens when eating mustard [not
very clear, I am afraid].

Best wishes,

Jean-Louis
[log in to unmask]

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REFERENCES:

1. O'Brien J, Walker R, Toxicological effects of dietary Maillard reaction
products in the rat, Food Chem Toxicol 1988 Sep;26(9):775-783

2. von Wangenheim B, Hanichen T, Erbersdobler H, Histopathological studies of
rat kidneys following the feeding of heat-damaged proteins, Z Ernahrungswiss
1984 Sep;23(3):219-229

3. Koschinsky T et al., Orally absorbed reactive glycation products
(glycotoxins): an environmental risk factor in diabetic nephropathy, Proc Natl
Acad Sci U S A 1997 Jun 10;94(12):6474-6479.

4. Vlassara H et al., Advanced glycation endproducts promote adhesion molecule
(VCAM-1, ICAM-1) expression and atheroma formation in normal rabbits, Mol Med
1995 May;1(4):447-456