FACT: High fructose corn syrup is basically the same as sugar—both in terms of composition and in the number of calories they contain. Since high fructose corn syrup and sugar are so similar, the human body absorbs them the same way. 1
In fact, registered dietitian Becky Hand noted, “research has shown that there are no significant differences between HFCS and sugar (sucrose) when it comes to the production of insulin, leptin (a hormone that regulates body weight and metabolism), ghrelin (the “hunger” hormone), or the changes in blood glucose levels. In addition, satiety studies done on HFCS and sugar (sucrose) have found no difference in appetite regulation, feelings of fullness, or short-term energy intake.”2
Robert J. Davis, PhD, from Emory University, Rollins School of Public Health told the Huffington Post, “Just because a product contains an alternative to HFCS — whether sugar, fruit juice concentrate, brown rice syrup or agave nectar — doesn’t necessarily make it more healthful.”3
Michael Jacobson, PhD, Executive Director, Center for Science in the Public Interest told the Associated Press, “To pretend that a product sweetened with sugar is healthier than a product sweetened by high fructose corn syrup is totally misguided.”4
Remember: Sugar is sugar and all sugar should be consumed in moderation.
1 Hanover LM, White JS. 1993. Manufacturing, composition, and applications of fructose. Am J Clin Nutr 58(suppl 5):724S-732S. 2 Beck Hand, RD. Spark People, http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=486 3 Dr. Robert J. Davis, Emory University, Rollins School of Public Health, “Top 10 Food Label Tricks to Avoid in 2012”, Huffington Post, 1/3/2012. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-j-davis-phd/food-labels_b_1173411.html 4 Michael Jacobson, PhD, Executive Director, Center for Science in the Public Interest, Associated Press, Sept 10, 2008. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26648177/ns/health-diet_and_nutrition/t/ads-aimed-sweetening-corn-syrups-image/#.T3s5FvBSTgE
MYTH: High fructose corn syrup is to blame for obesity and diabetes
FACT: There is no scientific evidence that high fructose corn syrup is to blame. The American Medical Association stated in a press release that, “After studying current research, the American Medical Association concluded that high fructose corn syrup does not appear to contribute more to obesity than other caloric sweeteners…”5 The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly the American Dietetic Association) similarly noted that recent studies “consistently found little evidence that HFCS differs uniquely from sucrose and other nutritive sweeteners in metabolic effects…”6
In fact, the U.S. Department of Agriculture data shows that consumption of high fructose corn syrup has actually been declining while obesity and diabetes rates continued to rise.7,8 David Klurfeld, PhD, from the Agricultural Research Service at the USDA noted, “This is a marketing issues, not a metabolic issue… The real issue is not high fructose corn syrup. It’s that we’ve forgotten what a real serving size is. We have to eat less of everything.”9
5 American Medical Association Press Release, June 17, 2008. http://sweetsurprise.com/sites/default/files/pdf/AMARelease6-17-08.pdf 6 Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Use of Nutritive and Nonnutritive Sweeteners, Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, May 2012 http://www.eatright.org/About/Content.aspx?id=8363 7 U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. Table 52 — High fructose corn syrup: estimated number of per capita calories consumed daily, by calendar year. July 2011. http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/sugar-and-sweeteners-yearbook-tables.aspx 8 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Diabetes Surveillance System. 2010. Long-term Trends in Diabetes, October 2010, and Prevalence of overweight, obesity and extreme obesity among adults: United States, trends 1960-62 through 2005-2006. Flegal KM, et al.. 2010. Prevalence and Trends in Obesity Among US Adults, 1999-2008. JAMA 303:3. Flegal KM, et al. 2012. Prevalence of Obesity and Trends in the Distribution of Body Mass Index Among US Adults, 1999-2010. JAMA 307:5. 9 David Klurfeld, PhD, Human Nutrition National Program Leader, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Annual Meeting, June 8, 2009. http://www.science20.com/news_articles/confused_about_sugar_and_calories_youre_not_alone
MYTH: HFCS is only used as a sweetener in foods and beverages
FACT: High fructose corn syrup plays a key role in the natural integrity of food and beverage products that often has little to do with sweetness. Health expert, Ruth Litchfield, PhD, RD, at Iowa State highlighted what other benefits are provided.10
- As a liquid, it is easily incorporated into beverages and also stays in solution better—making a higher quality product.
- As a form of invert sugar, fructose combines with protein in the presence of heat to give browning—toasted bread is an example.
- Using HFCS instead of granular sugar helps lock in moisture in baked products. This extends shelf life by keeping the baked product fresher for a longer time period. This same moistness also gives cookies and snack bars a softer texture.
- Because it is a syrup (rather than granules), the fructose and glucose molecules do not form undesired crystals in candies and ice cream, giving those foods a smoother mouth feel and a more desirable product.
- HFCS contributes thickness, or viscosity, to condiments and salad dressings.”
10 Ruth Litchfield, Ph.D., R.D., L.D. , High Fructose Corn Syrup – How sweet it is. http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/PM2061.pdf
MYTH: HFCS, fructose and corn syrup are the same
FACT: These are all very different products with distinctly different functions. Corn syrup is composed of mainly glucose and is used as a non-sweet thickener. High fructose corn syrup is made of almost equal portions of fructose and glucose and is used as a sweetener. Fructose is a naturally occurring sweetener found in fruits and honey. All of these products contain calories but the focus of consumer attention should not be on just one ingredient. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics advises, “Added sugars, as found in beverages with nutritive sweeteners, are not different than other extra energy in the diet for energy intake and body weight. Reducing intake of all added sugars, including sucrose, corn sweeteners, fructose, HFCS, and other forms of added sugars, is a recommended strategy to reduce energy intake in Americans.” 11
11 Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Use of Nutritive and Nonnutritive Sweeteners, Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, May 2012 http://www.eatright.org/About/Content.aspx?id=8363
MYTH: HFCS blocks my body’s ability to know when it is full
FACT: Multiple studies have shown that high fructose corn syrup has similar effects on feelings of fullness as sugar and 1% milk. This includes research done by the University of Washington, Maastricht University in the Netherlands, University of Toronto and University of Rhode Island. All of these studies found no differences in the metabolic effects of high fructose corn syrup as compared to sugar.12,13,14,17 “There’s no evidence to date that HFCS affects appetite any differently than sucrose,” stated Karen Teff, PhD, Associate Director for the Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism at the University of Pennsylvania.12
In a peer-reviewed study, Pablo Monsivais, PhD, MPH, and colleagues found that beverages sweetened with sugar, high fructose corn syrup and 1% milk all have similar effects on feelings of fullness.16 Another peer-reviewed study by Kathleen J. Melanson, PhD, RD, et al. found “no differences in the metabolic effects” of high fructose corn syrup and sugar.14 Rayna Cooper, RD, at the Family & Consumer Sciences at Penn State Extension noted, “Research shows there is no difference between consuming HFCS or table sugar in the following effects: glucose and insulin levels, triglycerides, hormones affecting appetite, weight gain, hunger, satiety and appetite.”18
12 Almiron-Roig E, Drewnowski A. 2003. Hunger, thirst, and energy intakes following consumption of caloric beverages. Physiol Behav 79:767-774.) http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031938403002129 13 Sonenen S, Westerterp-Plantenga MS. December 2007, No differences in satiety or energy intake after high-fructose corn syrup, sucrose, or milk preloads. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 86 (6), 1586-1594, http://www.ajcn.org/content/86/6/1586.full 14 Akhavan, T, Anderson HG. November 2007. Effects of glucose-to-fructose ratios in solutions on subjective satiety, food intake, and satiety hormones in young men. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Vol. 86 (5), 1354-1363, http://www.ajcn.org/content/86/5/1354.full 15 Karen Teff, Ph.D.University of Pennsylvania, EatingWell, May 2009. http://www.eatingwell.com/nutrition_health/nutrition_news_information/whats_so_bad_about_high_fructose_corn_syrup?page=3 16 Monsivais P, Perrigue MM, Drewnowski A. 2007. Sugars and satiety: does the type of sweetener make a difference? Am J Clin Nutr. 86(1):116-123. http://www.ajcn.org/content/86/1/116.full 17 Melanson KJ, Zukley L, Lowndes J, Nguyen V, Angelopoulos TJ, Rippe JM. 2007. Effects of high-fructose corn syrup and sucrose consumption on circulating glucose, insulin, leptin, and ghrelin and on appetite in normal-weight women. Nutrition 23(2):103-112. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0899900706003923 18 Rayna Cooper, R.D., Nutrition Educator, Family & Consumer Sciences, Penn State Extension, “Family Living Focus: On Corn Syrup and High Fructose Corn Syrup”, York Daily News, January 4, 2012.
MYTH: Studies conducted with pure fructose can be applied to high fructose corn syrup
FACT: That is not scientifically feasible. Pure fructose and its effect on the body are extremely different from that of high fructose corn syrup. There is a lot of confusion around this per registered dietitian, Joy Bauer, “The term ‘high fructose corn syrup’ is a bit confusing, because [high fructose] corn syrup actually contains just about the same mix of sugar compounds as regular white sugar–the most widely used form of high fructose corn syrup is 55% fructose and 42% glucose.”19
Most studies conducted with pure fructose have been performed with abnormally high levels of fructose which do not occur naturally in our diet. Alan Aragon, MS, shared this sentiment when noting, “In the single human study I’m aware of that linked fructose to a greater next-day appetite in a subset of the subjects, 30% of total daily energy intake was in the form of free fructose. This amounts to 135 grams, which is the equivalent of 6-7 nondiet soft drinks. Is it really that groundbreaking to think that polishing off a half-dozen soft drinks per day is not a good idea? Demonizing fructose without mentioning the dose-dependent nature of its effects is intellectually dishonest. Like anything else, fructose consumed in gross chronic excess can lead to problems, while moderate amounts are neutral, and in some cases beneficial.”20 By analyzing fructose independently, the studies are not representative of normal diets and cannot be applied to high fructose corn syrup which contains both fructose and glucose.
19 Joy Bauer, M.S., R.D., C.D.N., Yahoo Health, May 27, 2010. http://health.yahoo.net/experts/joybauernutrition/corn-syrup-worse-sugar 20 Alan Aragon MS, Alan Aragon’s Blog, January 29, 2010. http://www.alanaragonblog.com/2010/01/29/the-bitter-truth-about-fructose-alarmism/
MYTH: HFCS is high in fructose
FACT: Contrary to its name, high fructose corn syrup is not high in fructose.21 It has levels of fructose to create a similar composition to sugar. It has either 42% or 55% fructose, which is comparable to sugar with 50% fructose. 22 Allen Levin, PhD, Dean of the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences at the University of Minnesota discussed this confusion with Minnesota Public Radio. “So it got a bad name, the word fructose. Now you have high fructose corn sweeteners and it says high fructose. So immediately, the public is going to assume this is bad because fructose may not be so great for you. But it’s really close to the same chemical composition as table sugar, sucrose. So it’s really misinformation.”23
21 See generally Alexander RJ. 1998. Sweeteners: Nutritive. Eagan Press; Hanover LM, White JS. 1993. Manufacturing, composition and applications of fructose. Am J Clin Nutr 58(suppl 5):724S-732S; White JS. 1992. Fructose syrup: production, properties and applications, in FW Schenck & RE Hebeda, eds, Starch Hydrolysis Products – Worldwide Technology, Production, and Applications. VCH Publishers, Inc. 177-200. 22 Hanover LM, White JS. 1993. Manufacturing, composition, and applications of fructose. Am J Clin Nutr 58(suppl 5):724S-732S. http://www.ajcn.org/content/58/5/724S.full.pdf+html 23 Allen Levine, Ph.D., University of Minnesota, Minnesota Public Radio, May 6, 2009. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2009/05/05/sugarvcornsyrup/
MYTH: HFCS is highly subsidized and therefore is a cheap ingredient placed in everything
FACT: Manufacturers of corn sweeteners do not receive government support payments for these products; sugar and honey are the only caloric sweeteners that benefit directly from government support.
In addition, corn is not “cheap.” The market sets the prices and these have been rising due to high demand and tight supply conditions.24 In fact, corn farmers have not received payments under the Marketing Loan Program or the Counter Cyclical Payment Program since the 2005/06 marketing year. These are the payments programs which would be considered “trade-distorting,” having the greatest effect on corn prices.25
High fructose corn syrup does provide cost benefits, but as Brian Dunning notes, this is due to where it is grown vs. it being subsidized, “Cost is a huge factor, in the United States we can grow our corn, but we have to import our sugar. Countries all hit each other with import tariffs, so high fructose corn syrup is cheaper in North America and sugar is cheaper in South America.”26
24 (U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. 2009. Table 4–Corn: Supply and disappearance and Table 31–Corn: Food, seed, and industrial use. Feed Yearbook. http://www.ers.usda.gov/data/feedgrainsnew/FeedYearbook.aspx; Wall Street Journal, “USDA Cuts Corn Forecast” August 12, 2011. http://on.wsj.com/rgBgy5). 25 (USDA-ERS, 2010 http://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/farm-economy/farm-commodity-policy/government-payments-the-farm-sector.aspx ) 26 Brian Dunning, In Fact: High fructose corn syrup, http://infactvideo.com/episode/02/11/
MYTH: HFCS is not natural
FACT: High fructose corn syrup is made from corn, a natural grain product and is a natural sweetener. High fructose corn syrup contains no artificial or synthetic ingredients or color additives. It also meets the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s requirements for use of the term “natural.” 27 Ruth Kava, PhD, RD, from the American Council on Science and Health stated, “The idea that HFCS is bad because it’s not natural is simply incorrect,” adding that, “There is no difference between the fructose found in HFCS and that derived from fruit.”28
According to a recent Parents.com piece, “Though many parents are seeking out less-processed foods, most sweeteners are processed to some degree. The raw materials for sucrose (sugar cane and sugar beets) undergo plenty of processing too. Dr. Barry Popkin seconds this sentiment, when he states, “It’s a devious thing that some added sugars are being promoted as relatively healthy.”29
27 21 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) § 101.22. http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idxc=ecfr&rgn=div8&view=text&node=21:2.0.1.1.2.2.1.1&idno=21 28 Dr. Ruth Kava, American Council on Science and Health, “High Fructose Corn Syrup By Any Other Name Would Be Just As Sweet”, American Council On Science And Health, October 24, 2011. http://www.acsh.org/factsfears/newsID.2999/news_detail.asp 29 Dr. Barry Popkin, Sugar Shocker, Sally Kuzemchak, R.D, Parents Magazine, June 2012 http://www.parents.com/kids/nutrition/healthy-eating/sugar-intake/
MYTH: High fructose corn syrup is sweeter than sugar
FACT: High fructose corn syrup and sugar have almost the same level of sweetness.30 HFCS was made to provide the same sweetness as sugar so that consumers would not notice a difference in sweetness or taste. In fact, the type of HFCS commonly used in foods is actually less sweet than sugar.31 Phil Lempert, The Supermarket Guru®, wrote “HFCS was developed in the 1970s when the food industry began looking for alternatives to traditional cane sugar that could provide similar sweetness, taste and quality for a fraction of the price…The resulting HFCS product is extremely similar to table sugar (sucrose) and has a similar taste.”32
Julie M. Jones, PhD, LN, CNS, professor of nutrition at the College of St. Catherine, provided a brief explanation of the composition and sweetness of HFCS in the Journal of Nutrition, “In reality, HFCS used in the United States contains either 55% fructose and 45% glucose (HFCS-55) or 42% fructose and 58% glucose (HFCS-42). This makes HFCS’s sweetening intensity and overall composition only marginally different from the 50% fructose and 50% glucose composition of the sucrose it replaces.”33
30 Hanover LM, White JS. 1993. Manufacturing, composition, and applications of fructose. Am J Clin Nutr 58(suppl 5):724S-732S. http://www.ajcn.org/content/58/5/724S.full.pdf+html 31 White JS. 1992. Fructose syrup: production, properties and applications, in FW Schenck & RE Hebeda, eds, Starch Hydrolysis Products –Worldwide Technology, Production, and Applications. VCH Publishers, Inc. pp. 177-200. 32 Phil Lempert, The Supermarket Guru ®, Food, Nutrition, & Science from The Lempert Report, April 30, 2010. http://www.supermarketguru.com/index.cfm/go/sg.viewArticle/articleId/1197 33 Jones, JM. June 2009. Dietary Sweeteners Containing Fructose: Overview of a Workshop on the State of the Science, Journal of Nutrition 139: 6 1210S-1213S, http://jn.nutrition.org/content/139/6/1210S.fu
“High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a sugar, nothing more, nothing less. If you choose not to eat it, I’m fine with that decision. But your decision should be made because you have decided to eat less sweetened foods and drinks, not because you believe HFCS is some dietary devil to be avoided at all costs.”
JO-ANN HESLIN, M.A., R.D., C.D.N. Food and Nutrition Columnist, HealthNewsDigest.com, July 20, 2008
