HFCS vs table sugar

Russellb97

I was a bit surprised after reading Taubes' books and watching Dr. Lutwig's "Bitter Truth" lecture that they think High Fructose Corn Syrup and sugar are equal, well equally bad. So the big uprising of us consumers demanding HFCS to be removed from our foods to be replaced by " real sugar", may have been for nothing.

Granted I'm not concerned personally because other than my Spike Day I eat a low sugar diet, but I was enjoying my hatred towards HFCS.

So are we wasting our time looking for ketchup that uses regular sugar?

tigersword

The human body can't tell the difference. Also, and this is something most HFCS "haters" either don't know, or ignore, but the human body will only process an equal amount of fructose as it has glucose. Now, table sugar is 50/50 glucose and fructose, and HFCS is 45/55 glucose to fructose, which isn't really much difference anyway, and the body will only utilize 45% of the fructose, to match the amount of glucose there, and just eliminates the rest. Scientists don't know why it works like that, but they've found it does.

So as far as your body is concerned, table sugar and HFCS are exactly the same thing.

Now for the record, yes, the body can process any amount of free fructose, the interesting thing is that when glucose is added to the equation, the body seems to limit the amount of fructose it processes to match the glucose.

Lyadeia

I think a lot of "hatred" of HFCS comes from the fact that it's found so abundantly in over-processed garbage that's high in calories and devoid of nutrients...and it's in a lot of foods that we tend to overeat and get fat on because we overeat it.

I honestly don't care if it's healthy or unhealthy...the fact remains that the healthy foods I opt for 99% of the time don't even contain it at all, and I overeat the foods that do contain it...so I avoid foods that have it so I don't overeat and get fat.

fatgirlzrule2

As a kid I had a corn allergy...eating corn, or products with HFCS in it, caused me to have trouble breathing, my nose would become stuffy, my eyes would water and get red, and my ears would get red and hot. As I got older those symptoms almost all went away. Occasionally now if I eat a lot of corn I will get an itchy nose. But I do often wonder if I am still having issues with it, as far as my weight is concerned. I read one article that said a corn allergy can affect your weight. I'm still trying to research this but haven't had much luck.

Russellb97

The human body can't tell the difference. Also, and this is something most HFCS "haters" either don't know, or ignore, but the human body will only process an equal amount of fructose as it has glucose. Now, table sugar is 50/50 glucose and fructose, and HFCS is 45/55 glucose to fructose, which isn't really much difference anyway, and the body will only utilize 45% of the fructose, to match the amount of glucose there, and just eliminates the rest. Scientists don't know why it works like that, but they've found it does.

So as far as your body is concerned, table sugar and HFCS are exactly the same thing.

Now for the record, yes, the body can process any amount of free fructose, the interesting thing is that when glucose is added to the equation, the body seems to limit the amount of fructose it processes to match the glucose.

So what about the fructose in fruit, obviously it has a lower impact on blood sugar and insulin but what about the storage properties of the calories. Does adding fiber to sugar make a difference? I read on another board that adding 2 tsp of fiber powder to soda changed it from a high GL to a low GL. I am looking for the study or proof but I have not found it yet.

It sounds like you know your "sugar"
P.S. I've asked a dozen Doctors and registered dietitians and none of them knew the answer.

Thanks

neanderthin

HFCS has a bullseye on it so people can point a finger at the reason why people are fat.......

RonSwanson66

I'm just gonna leave this here:

http://www.alanaragonblog.com/2010/01/29/the-bitter-truth-about-fructose-alarmism/

tigersword

The human body can't tell the difference. Also, and this is something most HFCS "haters" either don't know, or ignore, but the human body will only process an equal amount of fructose as it has glucose. Now, table sugar is 50/50 glucose and fructose, and HFCS is 45/55 glucose to fructose, which isn't really much difference anyway, and the body will only utilize 45% of the fructose, to match the amount of glucose there, and just eliminates the rest. Scientists don't know why it works like that, but they've found it does.

So as far as your body is concerned, table sugar and HFCS are exactly the same thing.

Now for the record, yes, the body can process any amount of free fructose, the interesting thing is that when glucose is added to the equation, the body seems to limit the amount of fructose it processes to match the glucose.

So what about the fructose in fruit, obviously it has a lower impact on blood sugar and insulin but what about the storage properties of the calories. Does adding fiber to sugar make a difference? I read on another board that adding 2 tsp of fiber powder to soda changed it from a high GL to a low GL. I am looking for the study or proof but I have not found it yet.

It sounds like you know your "sugar"
P.S. I've asked a dozen Doctors and registered dietitians and none of them knew the answer.

Thanks

Fructose actually can spike insulin about 78% as much as glucose. As far as fiber and the absorption rate of sugar, yes it can slow it down, as will any food you eat, be it fiber, protein, or fat. The length of time food takes to digest changes based inn the overall ratio of foods, so yes, drinking a can of soda all on it's own can have a huge sugar spike, but drinking that same can while eating a steak and some roasted veggies will have a much lower effect on your blood glucose levels.

This is one of the reasons why the entire glycemic index "diet" is inherently flawed and useless. GI only takes into account individual foods, once you make a full meal, the GI of each separate ingredient is meaningless.

I'm just gonna leave this here:

http://www.alanaragonblog.com/2010/01/29/the-bitter-truth-about-fructose-alarmism/

This is a great article.

Russellb97

I'm just gonna leave this here:

http://www.alanaragonblog.com/2010/01/29/the-bitter-truth-about-fructose-alarmism/

Thanks Ron!

It's kind of been what I was thinking, just based off of my own personal experience. I don't eat a lot of sugar or fructose, aside from one day week, but I still have/do eat it. Then if it was as bad as they say, then how did I lose over 100lbs and keep it off?


The video is scary because Lustig and Taubes and very smart men, and have high credentials. When someone like Lustig says, "this is poison", I'd tend to believe him.

I have to admit I read labels and look for foods not containing HFCS, I guess I may have just been wasting my time.