High Fructose Corn Syrup

Hi all, 

Since we have been discussing the issue on High Fructose Corn Syrup, let me kick start the whole topic once again by briefly introducing HFCS again and listing out the disadvantages of it to health.

So here it goes,

What is High Fructose Corn Syrup? 

High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a calorie-providing sweetener used to sweeten foods and beverages, particularly processed and store-bought foods. It is made by an enzymatic process from glucose syrup that is derived from corn. A relatively new food ingredient, it was first produced in Japan in the late 1960s, then entered the American food supply system in the early 1970s. HFCS is a desirable food ingredient for food manufacturers because it is equally as sweet as table sugar, blends well with other foods, helps foods to maintain a longer shelf life, and is less expensive (due to government subsidies on corn) than other sweeteners. It can be found in a variety of food products including soft drinks, salad dressings, ketchup, jams, sauces, ice cream and even bread. 

There are two types of high fructose corn syrup found in foods today:

• HFCS-55 (the main form used in soft drinks) contains 55% fructose and 45% glucose.
• HFCS-42 (the main form used in canned fruit in syrup, ice cream, desserts, and baked goods) contains 42% fructose and 58% glucose.

1. Significant Risk of Weight Gain & Obesity

The list of studies that show HFCS (High fructose corn syrup) to cause increased weight gain over other forms of sweeteners is much to long to put into this post. One of the better, and more recent ones, was conducted at Princeton University, and found that rats that were fed HFCS gained fat 300% more quickly than those fed an equal (or slightly larger) dose of fruit-derived sugar.

[In my opinion, it is pretty clear why people who consume soft drinks like Coke can put on weight easily. If you were to goolgle the ingredients in Coke on Wikipedia, you will notice this as one of the ingredients, "Sugar (sucrose or high fructose corn syrup depending on country of origin)". Isn't it strange, 'depending on country of origin' ?]

2. Increased Risk of Developing Type-2 Diabetes

Over the years, consumption of high-fructose corn syrup can lead to a huge increase in the likelihood of developing diabetes. The worst part about it is how easily this life-long condition can be avoided in most cases. Excessive amounts of soda, energy drinks and junk food simply aren’t worth losing a foot or going blind or harming your children.

3. Hypertension and Elevated “Bad” Cholesterol Levels

High-fructose doesn’t just make your body fat. It makes your heart fat too. There is a strong link between the irresponsible consumption of high fructose corn syrup and elevated triglyceride and HDL (bad cholesterol) levels. Together these can cause arterial plague build-up and eventually lead to dangerous heart conditions including hypertension, heart disease, and even stroke.

4. High Fructose Corn Syrup & Long-Term Liver Damage

This is a big one that a lot people overlook. Like anything else you eat or drink, HFCS is processed by your liver, gallbladder and kidneys. And it’s especially destructive to your liver. When combined with a sedentary lifestyle, permanent liver scarring can occur. This greatly diminishes the organ’s ability to process out toxins and, over time, can lead to an expansive range of other negative health concerns. Another study suggests that HFCS may also cause fatty liver.

5. Mercury Exposure from HFCS

Even if you were already aware of previously mentioned risks associated with corn syrup, there’s a good chance that you didn’t know it also often loaded with alarmingly high levels of mercury. In a study conducted just last year they found mercury in over 50 percent of the samples tested. Mercury exposure can result in irreversible brain and nervous system damage – especially in young, growing bodies. This is especially worrisome with the abundance of HFCS in children-target foodstuffs.

The bottom line of this issue is, in my opinion, always read food labels to find out what is going into your stomach.