If you’re like me, you’ve heard the term ‘high fructose corn syrup’ bandied about and have a vague sense that the corn-derived sweetener is not good for you. But if you’re like me, you also want to know the truth. Does high fructose corn syrup deserve its bad rap?
First of all, a few interesting facts: high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a sugar-substitute sweetener used in many processed foods. I consider myself a pretty healthy eater, but when I did an informal survey in my kitchen, I found HFCS or its cousin, plain corn syrup, in a surprising number of products: Yoplait yogurt, Heinz ketchup, Safeway red cherry jam, A-1 steak sauce, KC Masterpiece BBQ sauce, Honey Bunches of Oats cereal, Campbell’s tomato soup… the list goes on, but I think you get the idea. The corn sweetener is everywhere! In fact, new research suggests that the average U.S. diet derives 10% of its calories just from high-fructose corn syrup.
All right, so the sweetener is everywhere. But is it so bad? The jury is still out. HFCS arrived on the scene in the 1970s, replacing plain sugar in many products (it is the main sweetener in soft drinks). The problem is that obesity rates have also climbed since the 1970s, and now a whopping 60% of Americans are considered overweight. Is there a link between our national fatness and the corn sweetener?
Those who criticize HFCS say overwhelmingly ‘yes’, and they have some data to support their beliefs. Animal studies suggest that high fructose consumption can trigger leptin-resistance. Leptin, as some of you may recall, is a satiety hormone. When levels of leptin rise in your blood, you feel full. But if you become resistant to leptin, you may overeat, and voila! There’s a route to weight gain. HFCS has also been linked with insulin-resistance, an increased risk of diabetes, and elevated levels of triglycerides.
Other studies (some of them sponsored by the corn refining industry) have found no difference between plain old sugar and HFCS in their effect on blood glucose, insulin, and leptin. These studies also suggest that whether a drink is sweetened with sugar or HFCS makes no difference in satiety and subsequent caloric intake.
The take-home message? Too much sugar OR high fructose corn syrup is bad for you. Moderation in both is key. As for which sweetener is the lesser of two evils, we’ll just have to wait for more research to know for sure.
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Very interesting… I noticed that about the high fructose corn syrup myself… even found a white bread in my local store without any in it… but it sure seems hard to avoid elsewhere…
Lynn
Coll blog… will be sure to follow it.
Dr. Dean Edell had a call about this on his show the other day. Apparently Coke is made with HFCS, but used to be made with plain sugar, and actually still is in other countries. There are folks who swear they can taste the difference between a Coke made in Mexico and one made in the US. Haven’t done the taste test myself, but I try to avoid it on the ingredient list when I can.
All the more reason we have to eat as “non-processed” as possible, to control the sugar, period.
–Ede
ede…that’s not all that is in the coke from mexico
I try to avoid soft drinks, not only because of the HFCS but because of the carbonation, which a doctor told me is bad for women’s bones (contributes to osteoporosis). Lemonade is better!
Arry–you pipe down!