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High Fructose Corn Syrup vs. Sugar: Are they Nutritionally Similar?

03/27/2010 15:33:00 admin

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Food consumers who visit foodconsumer.org regularly may already be aware of a new published study led by Princeton University researchers suggesting that high fructose corn syrup may play a more important role in the obesity epidemic than table sugar.

Bart Hoebel (and colleagues), who specialize in the neuroscience of appetite, found that of rats that drank the same amount of sugar and high fructose corn syrup (or HFCS), those that consumed the HFCS gained significantly more body weight than those drinking table sugar.

Furthermore, they found that drinking a HFCS solution for a long term, (which is the case of rats is six months), the rats experienced some signs of metabolic syndrome, such as abnormal increases in body fat and circulating blood fats called triglycerides.

This is an animal study. The results may not apply to humans; animals do not have the critical thinking skills to help them monitor their intake of sweeteners.

The Center for Consumer Freedom, the non-profit organization that often attacks research findings that may potentially hurt the food industry or the food service industry, issued a statement on March 26 claiming that "Every day, more people are pointing out flaws in last month’s Princeton University study finding that rats fed high fructose corn syrup gained more weight than rats fed sucrose (table sugar)."

The Corn Refiners Association maintains that high fructose corn syrup is the same as table sugar nutritionally, and it launched a national TV campaign to educate consumers and extol the sweetener's virtues, fooducate.com reported last year.

Some major food companies like PepsiCo have already decided to stop using high fructose corn syrup in their foods and beverages, due to the demand from food consumers for alternative sweeteners.

In 2007, Rutgers University researchers reported that high fructose corn syrup contains astonishingly high levels of reactive carbonyls, which can lead to oxidative damage of retinal proteins, according to Pennathur S and colleagues who published a study in the June 17, 2005 issue of Journal of Biological Chemistry addressing the potentially damaging effect of reactive carbonyls and polyunsaturated fatty acids on retinal proteins.

By Jimmy Downs and editing by Rachel Stockton

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Comments (7 posted):

Just A Note on 03/28/2010 10:11:56

"The results may not apply to humans; animals do not have the critical thinking skills to help them monitor their intake of sweeteners."

Humans are animals too. Perhaps the author should have written "non-human animals do not have the critical thinking skills..."

Brandon on 03/28/2010 14:45:17

I can't believe how long it took for the media to finally catch on! Over the past 30-40 years, the increase consumption of fructose, in ALL forms, has correlated with the rise of weight issues.

How come people (government) remain so ignorant, and act dumb to the change, as if they don't know how it happened? Afterall, there has to be a cause to this epidemic.

Perhaps the food industry is funding our government more than we realized?

Christopher Speed MND APD on 03/29/2010 11:14:15

High fructose corn syrup, sugar, and several fruit juices/sweeteners are all nutritionally the same. Consumers are being misled into thinking that there are nutritional differences between high fructose corn syrup and sugar, when in fact they are nutritionally the same. Whether from cane, beets, or corn, a sugar is a sugar. They all contain four calories per gram. Switching out a kind of corn sugar for table sugar is not for health and it is not for science. According to the American Dietetic Association, “high fructose corn syrup…is nutritionally equivalent to sucrose. Once absorbed into the blood stream, the two sweeteners are indistinguishable.” The American Medical Association stated that, “Because the composition of high fructose corn syrup and sucrose are so similar, particularly on absorption by the body, it appears unlikely that high fructose corn syrup contributes more to obesity or other conditions than sucrose.” As many dietitians agree, all sugars should be consumed in moderation. As an accredited practicing dietitian who works for Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, I am compensated by the Corn Refiners Association to assist with their public relations initiatives by ensuring the media, policy influencers and key stakeholders in the food and nutrition industry are provided accurate and science-based information about high fructose corn syrup. The comments and views provided in this post are entirely my own and are based on my professional experience as a dietitian and biochemist.

James Henderson, M.D. on 04/12/2010 19:13:57

Sucrose and fructose are not "similar." As you very well know. Sucrose must undergo processing, which requires energy, to split the glucose and fructose molecule prior to being utilized by the body. Fructose, on the other, has a direct line from the small intestine to the liver where VLDL and triglycerides production is increased by this molecule.

The attacks on valid research is nothing short of disgusting. I somehow remember the tobacco industry using similar tactics. Pathetic.

imitation jewelry on 10/28/2010 08:47:11

As you very well know. Sucrose must undergo processing, which requires energy, to split the glucose and fructose molecule prior to being utilized by the body. Fructose, on the other, has a direct line from the small intestine to the liver where VLDL and tri

watch on 10/29/2010 07:56:29

ssociation maintains that high fructose corn syrup is the same as table sugar nutritionally, and it launched a national TV campaign to educate consumers and extol the sweetener's virtues, fooducate.com reported last year.

Some major food companies like PepsiCo have already decided to stop using high fructose corn syrup in their foods and beverages, due to the demand from food consumers for alternative sweeteners.

In 2007, Rutgers University researchers reported that h

watch on 10/29/2010 07:56:29