11 Ways Processed Food Is Different from Real Food

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Too much fructose

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Processed food contains high levels of fructose, Lustig wrote.

Fructose, which is a type of sugar, is broken down in the liver in the same way as ethanol, according to the editorial. Indeed, sugar is sometimes referred to as the "alcohol of the child," Lustig wrote.

Many children today now have diseases traditionally linked to alcohol consumption, such as fatty liver disease, even though these kids do not consume alcohol. This has been linked to their sugar consumption, Lustig wrote.

Originally published on Live Science.

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Sara G. Miller
Sara G. Miller
Staff Writer
Sara is a staff writer for Live Science, covering health. She grew up outside of Philadelphia and studied biology at Hamilton College in upstate New York. When she's not writing, she can be found at the library, checking out a big stack of books.