High-Fructose Corn Syrup: Just Another Sugar?
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High-Fructose Corn Syrup: Just Another Sugar?
As sweeteners go, high fructose corn syrup is perfect — for food manufacturers. But research is showing that, eaten in large quantities, HFCS may not be so good for you.
By Christine Bahls
Medically reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH Print Email High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has been used for decades as a food sweetener and preservative because it’s less expensive than sugar, is extremely sweet, and stays fresh for a long time. But recent events questioning the consumption of HFCS have thrown the spotlight of controversy on this processed food ingredient. Even First Lady Michelle Obama was reported saying she would not allow her children to eat food that contains HFCS.
Food manufacturers have reacted to the publicity. Sara Lee announced recently that it was removing high-fructose corn syrup from some of its popular breads. Kraft has taken similar steps with some of its products. And the Corn Refiners Association, which maintains that your body handles HFCS the same way it does table sugar or honey (and is running TV commercials with that message), is seeking U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval to change the name of high-fructose corn syrup to "corn sugar."
HFCS: Is Moderation the Key?
“They are trying to make it as innocuous as they can,” says Jung Kim, RD, clinical dietitian specialist at the Hospital of University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Kim says the core of the problem may be overindulgence. “I am not saying that fructose is great, but if it’s in moderation, that’s not a terrible thing,” she says.
However, if consumption goes beyond moderate levels, it’s a different story. Recent research shows that the damaging effects of this sweetener could be considerable, from changing appetite satisfaction to increasing the risk of kidney stones, in addition to possible weight gain and the diabetic and cardiovascular issues that being overweight or obese can cause.
HFCS: Worse Than Sugar?
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Both table sugar (sucrose) and HFCS are combinations of fructose and glucose. Sugar is about 50 percent fructose, and HFCS contains 42 to 55 percent fructose. Fructose is also naturally found in fruits.
Until recently, says Kim, there was no definitive evidence proving that HFCS is less healthy than sugar. But new findings suggest that it is. Researchers at Princeton University showed rats that drank water with high-fructose corn syrup gained more weight than rats that drank water with sugar, although this research has yet to be replicated in humans.
Other studies have shown that, besides causing weight gain, HFCS raises the risks of high blood pressure and vascular disease. It also can seriously affect the liver, at first causing a disorder called non-alcoholic steatotic hepatitis, in which fat appears in the liver. And this disease can lead to metabolic syndrome, an umbrella term for some very serious symptoms, including high blood pressure, excessive fat around the middle, and excessive fats in the blood.
Other research focusing on fructose has found these concerns:
Belly fat. Researchers noticed that people gained belly fat, or weight in their midsection, when they ate fructose, but not glucose, over a 10-week period. They concluded the two sugars have a different effect on the way the body distributes fat.Insulin effect. Fructose is not an effective insulin stimulator, as compared to glucose (insulin is needed to convert sugar into energy).Effect on appetite. Scientists have observed that fructose seems to affect appetite differently than sugar — a meal with a high level of HFCS doesn’t leave you feeling as satisfied, which can lead to overeating. Kim isn’t surprised by this research: “When we start fiddling with foods and change their shelf stability or texture, [we] are changing the chemical process.” This can lead to changing different chemical processes in the body in terms of nutrient absorption.
As the debate over HFCS continues, it’s smart to be more aware of food labeling, especially when reaching for processed foods and sweets. Kim says food manufacturers add the sweetener to sodas, fruit juices, bread, and even deli meats.
As sweeteners go, high fructose corn syrup is perfect — for food manufacturers. But research is showing that, eaten in large quantities, HFCS may not be so good for you.
By Christine Bahls
Medically reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH Print Email High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has been used for decades as a food sweetener and preservative because it’s less expensive than sugar, is extremely sweet, and stays fresh for a long time. But recent events questioning the consumption of HFCS have thrown the spotlight of controversy on this processed food ingredient. Even First Lady Michelle Obama was reported saying she would not allow her children to eat food that contains HFCS.
Food manufacturers have reacted to the publicity. Sara Lee announced recently that it was removing high-fructose corn syrup from some of its popular breads. Kraft has taken similar steps with some of its products. And the Corn Refiners Association, which maintains that your body handles HFCS the same way it does table sugar or honey (and is running TV commercials with that message), is seeking U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval to change the name of high-fructose corn syrup to "corn sugar."
HFCS: Is Moderation the Key?
“They are trying to make it as innocuous as they can,” says Jung Kim, RD, clinical dietitian specialist at the Hospital of University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Kim says the core of the problem may be overindulgence. “I am not saying that fructose is great, but if it’s in moderation, that’s not a terrible thing,” she says.
However, if consumption goes beyond moderate levels, it’s a different story. Recent research shows that the damaging effects of this sweetener could be considerable, from changing appetite satisfaction to increasing the risk of kidney stones, in addition to possible weight gain and the diabetic and cardiovascular issues that being overweight or obese can cause.
HFCS: Worse Than Sugar?
There's more content below this advertisement. Jump to the content.
Both table sugar (sucrose) and HFCS are combinations of fructose and glucose. Sugar is about 50 percent fructose, and HFCS contains 42 to 55 percent fructose. Fructose is also naturally found in fruits.
Until recently, says Kim, there was no definitive evidence proving that HFCS is less healthy than sugar. But new findings suggest that it is. Researchers at Princeton University showed rats that drank water with high-fructose corn syrup gained more weight than rats that drank water with sugar, although this research has yet to be replicated in humans.
Other studies have shown that, besides causing weight gain, HFCS raises the risks of high blood pressure and vascular disease. It also can seriously affect the liver, at first causing a disorder called non-alcoholic steatotic hepatitis, in which fat appears in the liver. And this disease can lead to metabolic syndrome, an umbrella term for some very serious symptoms, including high blood pressure, excessive fat around the middle, and excessive fats in the blood.
Other research focusing on fructose has found these concerns:
Belly fat. Researchers noticed that people gained belly fat, or weight in their midsection, when they ate fructose, but not glucose, over a 10-week period. They concluded the two sugars have a different effect on the way the body distributes fat.Insulin effect. Fructose is not an effective insulin stimulator, as compared to glucose (insulin is needed to convert sugar into energy).Effect on appetite. Scientists have observed that fructose seems to affect appetite differently than sugar — a meal with a high level of HFCS doesn’t leave you feeling as satisfied, which can lead to overeating. Kim isn’t surprised by this research: “When we start fiddling with foods and change their shelf stability or texture, [we] are changing the chemical process.” This can lead to changing different chemical processes in the body in terms of nutrient absorption.
As the debate over HFCS continues, it’s smart to be more aware of food labeling, especially when reaching for processed foods and sweets. Kim says food manufacturers add the sweetener to sodas, fruit juices, bread, and even deli meats.
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Replies
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good article
thank you for sharing.
i stay away from HFCS, i defiantly don't think its the same as sugar.0 -
this! I eliminated HFCS products from my diet (replaced it with natural sugar products) without changing much else and lost 15 lbs. Not to mention, I have so much more energy without all that modified and processed food in me! 0 -
That's a fantastic Article. I posted excerpts from one similar and many people didn't take kindly to the info! I love the actual references BTW.0
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Great article. Since I've been watching what I eat and reading food labels I have stopped buying food that have HFCS. It's not just for me but for my kids. And the commercials saying it's fine in moderation makes me laugh. Yea, maybe it is but it's in just about EVERYTHING you buy today. So you can't have it in moderation.
Anyway, thanks for the article. My thinking is if you can make it at home that's the best but if not try to find things w/o HFCS0 -
Just say NO to HFCS!0
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Thanks! I try my best to stay away from it, but it seems to pop up in foods I least expect it to! It's getting freaky haha....
Labels are our friends!0 -
What bothers me more than anything else is how HFCS is made. It's the epitome of a processed food and there's just no way it can be considered natural. I hate that they can put that in the commercials. It's derived from a perfectly natural source, sure, but then it is altered in such ways to completely change its chemistry so that it can be used the way that it is. It's gross! My father in law is in the corn business and he flat out refuses to have anything in his house with HFCS in it and he equally hates the commercials. That stuff is just nasty!0
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I don't use anything with HFCS in it. Don't miss it at all.0
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For some people fructose can not be tolerated, I can't have it as I have fructose malabsorption - here's my website for more info http://www.not-ibs.co.uk0
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I avoid it in drinks, breads, PB, daily staples, snacks where possible, etc, but don't worry about it being in ketchup or jelly or other things I might have 2-3T of per week if that (there I avoid only if cost-effective.)0
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I am very anti-HFCS. I worry about so many people who STILL consume this poison. Do some simple research and learn about it. And then start reading labels- why eat something that has been proven to make you gain weight, destroy your liver and helps promote many chronic diseases. It is not the same as sugar.
A great and scary starting point is this lecture.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM 0 -
Thanks for sharing....I have know HFCS was bad, so I try not to eat any of it. It's nice to see it explained in more detail
I think everybody should also watch " food inc." It was an eye-opener for me.0 -
Some people are content to just tow the FDA line. What really irks me is when people who [claim that they] are dieticians or personal trainers [but secretly mean they took a health and wellness class within the past year] try to claim there's no problem with it (or rBST for that matter).That's a fantastic Article. I posted excerpts from one similar and many people didn't take kindly to the info! I love the actual references BTW.
Damnit I have to buy organic apple sauce to avoid HFCS in that, but I can't afford some of that Dave's Killer Bread, so every time I have a sandwich I'm getting a (Small? Large? Who knows?) dosage of it.
You know what else won't kill you if you take it in "moderation"? *Crack.
*Crack kills, moderation refers to an amount so insignificant that if you've ever walked through a metropolitan city you've already met your maximum amount, just as breathing the scent of bread meets your moderate level of HFCS.0 -
There is one big issue with food lables and corn sugar. Just because it says high fructose corn syrup doesn't mean it has been chemicly alterd. Corn syrup is a vital part in thee candy making process for example, its also used in a lot of breads to enhance the rise. Refined dextrose is also used in a lot of chocolat making becaue they can use a lot less sugar to get the sam result. Also if you've ever had a bottle conditiond beer or a sparkaling wine odds are good the second fermntation was done with dextroe.
Hfcs unalterd corn syrup and dextrose are all very different products, but on food lables they are all high ruuctose corn syrup
its just anther sugar to be moderated one that is about twice as sweet I might add. All these posts I see about no absolutes what happend to that.0 -
Corn syrup IS listed on ingredients separately - in the US anyway.
The video is a very good lecture and even though I have a substantial science background- learned a lot. It is hard to argue many of the facts stated about Fructose because well, bio-chemistry doesn't lie.0 -
Thanks! HFCS is definitely one of the biggest inhibitors to weight loss and healthy living. Should be avoided entirely by those who are diabetic/pre-diabetic.
Shawn0
This discussion has been closed.
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