Now, how does modern science explain the Donguibogam's principle that excessive sweetness damages the spleen? Remarkably, the ancient wisdom of Eastern medicine is being clearly demonstrated by modern science. The key lies in the sugars contained in fruit juice, especially fructose. Although it sounds healthy at first glance, it actually burdens your child's body just like refined sugar.
First, fruit juice is a mass of concentrated sugar with virtually no fiber. The fiber inside whole fruit plays the critical role of slowing sugar absorption, raising blood glucose gradually. However, with this fiber removed, juice is absorbed rapidly into the body, causing blood glucose to spike drastically. Such rapid surges in blood glucose cause the pancreas to secrete excessive amounts of insulin, and when this process repeats, it eventually crosses the threshold into insulin resistance. When insulin resistance develops, the body cannot properly use glucose as an energy source and stores the leftover energy as fat. This is one of the primary culprits behind childhood obesity.
In addition, fructose has the characteristic of being metabolized only in the liver. Unlike other sugars, fructose places a direct burden on the liver, which can not only induce fatty liver, but also promotes fat synthesis and raises blood triglyceride levels. This imbalance in metabolic processes can ultimately result in increasing the risk of metabolic syndrome from an early age. Studies are also emerging showing that it may be linked not only to obesity, but also to impaired concentration, chronic fatigue, and even behavioral problems in growing children.
Furthermore, because fruit juice is in liquid form, it is difficult to feel proper satiety. Even after drinking a glass, rather than feeling full, children feel it is delicious and easily fall into a vicious cycle of quickly looking for other sweet foods. This stimulates the brain's reward system, producing patterns similar to sugar addiction. Once the brain becomes accustomed to sweet tastes, it gradually craves stronger, more stimulating sweetness, which can become the greatest obstacle to forming healthy eating habits. If you want to give your child the gift of genuine health, it is time to set aside the illusion about fruit juice and make wiser choices based on scientific evidence.
