Posts Tagged ‘advanced glycation endproducts’

Cooking

Advanced Glycation Endproducts (AGEs) are typically formed when sugars are cooked with proteins or fats. Temperatures over 120°C (~248°F) greatly accelerate the reactions, but so do lower temperatures with longer cooking times produce this reaction.

Even though lower temperatures decrease the amount you are exposed to, it is still a problem. These compounds are digested with about 30% efficiency. Browning reactions are evidence of pre-formed glycations. Indeed, sugar is often added to products such as french fries and baked goods to enhance browning. Exogenous glycations and AGEs are contributors to inflammation and disease states.

AGEs

AGEs are known to initiation retinal dysfunction, cardiovascular diseases, type II diabetes, cancer and many other age-related chronic diseases. Food manufacturers have added AGEs to foods, especially in the last decades, as flavor enhancers and colorants to improve appearance. Foods with significant browning, caramelizing, or with directly added AGEs can be exceptionally high in these pro-inflammatory and disease initiating compounds. A list of foods with high exogenous AGEs includes: donuts, barbecued meats, cake, and dark colored sodas.

Aging

This root causes of the multi-system degenerative diseases of aging are linked to this. AGEs that come from the fusion of sugars with fats or protein. Here is the part that is fascinating, fructose and galactose have about ten time the glycation activity of glucose. Some AGEs are implicated in age-related chronic conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and Alzheimer’s disease.

The endothelial cells of the blood vessels are damaged directly by glycations, implicated in atherosclerosis. Atherosclerotic plaque tends to accumulate at areas of high blood flow (such as the entrance to the coronary arteries) due to  increased presentation of sugar molecules, glycations and AGEs at these points. Damage by glycation results in stiffening of the collagen in the blood vessel walls, leading to high blood pressure. Glycations cause weakening of the collagen in the blood vessel walls, which can lead to micro- or macro-aneurysms; causing strokes if in the brain.

Food Supply

Today’s battleground should be over the state of our food supply, and the versions of health that the U.S. supports. While listening to debates over public or private insurance, we should be thinking of identifying the real health threats. They come from the corrupt system of both healthcare, and our reliance on chemical solutions.

Advanced Glycation Endproducts (AGEs) are dangerous, and have no place in our food chain. These can naturally occur, but it should not be in our processed food. What this means is each generation is exposed to a greater quantity of foods containing Advance Glycation Endproducts (AGEs). Accelerated aging is beginning in pre-adolescents. This generation is showing signs of diabetes, hardening of the arteries, high blood pressure, and metabolic syndrome. The integrity of our nation is at stake. Public or private does not address all our health care issues.