Facts about high fructose corn syrup and fructose
Following are some facts about high fructose corn syrup and fructose:
- High fructose corn syrup contains approximately equal ratios of fructose and glucose. Table sugar also contains equal ratios of fructose and glucose. High fructose corn syrup and sugar are equally sweet and both contain four calories per gram.
- Fructose is a natural, simple sugar commonly found in fruits and honey. The absence of glucose makes pure fructose fundamentally different from high fructose corn syrup.
- Common dietary sources of fructose and glucose include fruits, vegetables, nuts and sweeteners (sugar, honey, high fructose corn syrup, fruit juice concentrates and agave nectar).
- There is no meaningful difference in how the body metabolizes table sugar and high fructose corn syrup. Once the combination of glucose and fructose found in high fructose corn syrup and sucrose are absorbed into the blood stream, the two types of sweetener appear to be metabolized similarly using well-characterized metabolic pathways.
- High fructose corn syrup meets the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s requirements for use of the term “natural.” It is made from corn, a natural grain product and contains no artificial or synthetic ingredients or color additives.
The American Medical Association in June 2008 helped put to rest a common misunderstanding about high fructose corn syrup and obesity, stating that “high fructose syrup does not appear to contribute to obesity more than other caloric sweeteners.” Even former critics of high fructose corn syrup dispelled long-held myths and distanced themselves from earlier speculation about the sweetener’s link to obesity in a comprehensive scientific review published in a recent supplement of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2008 Vol. 88).
Download a PDF of the Top Published Myths on High Fructose Corn Syrup.
Source: Medical News Today
I think a lot of the backlash against high fructose corn syrup is a little misguided on both sides of the camp. I definitely believe that it could be responsible for our nation’s weight-gain, but I don’t think it is really any worse for people than sugar. However, my problem with it is its prevalence in foods than most of us consider “healthy,” like yogurt and bread. The amount of it we eat in food that aren’t traditionally considered sweets is disturbing.
Comment by haleysuzanne | April 19, 2009