Is High Fructose Corn Syrup Bad for your Health?

Recently a student asked me if high fructose corn syrup was something to avoid.   Good question as there is so much being written about high fructose corn syrup.  If you watch the commercials sponsored by the high fructose corn syrup industry, all is well and there is no difference between sugar and high fructose corn syrup.  Others have renounced high fructose corn syrup almost from day one.  So what do some of the experts have to say about high fructose corn syrup?
Is high fructose corn syrup the same as sugar?
Actually, no.  Table sugar is about half fructose and half glucose.  High fructose corn syrup has a higher ratio of fructose to glucose having 55- 65% fructose and the rest glucose.  

Does the higher fructose content of high fructose corn syrup cause health problems? 
  •  Some studies are indicating, YES.  The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that beverages sweetened with high fructose corn syrup can significantly raise the bad cholesterol, or LDL cholesterol and raise triglyceride levels.  This happened in just 2 weeks of drinking beverages sweetened with high fructose corn syrup.
  • Diabetes – how does high fructose corn syrup affect glucose levels? The Mayo Clinic noted the fructose in added sugar can contribute to Type 2 diabetes.  But not the fructose naturally present in fruits.  Whole fruit may even reduce diabetes risk. Thus, the fructose in banana is fine, but the fructose in soda sweetened with high fructose corn syrup would not be good for one’s health.  
 How can you reduce your intake of high fructose corn syrup?  It isn’t always easy as food manufacturers are adding high fructose corn syrup to many commonly consumed foods such as bread and catsup.   Giving up soda sweetened with high fructose corn syrup would be one step.  Read the ingredients on the label to see if high fructose corn syrup is in the product.  Start buying bread, catsup, staple foods with no high fructose corn syrup.  It may be hard to find some whole wheat hamburger buns without high fructose corn syrup but Nature’s Own 100%  whole wheat buns advertise being free of high fructose corn syrup. 

Recently, WeBMD highlighted a video in their health newsletter about high fructose corn syrup.  The video, The Skinny on What Can Make You Fat, talks about high fructose corn syrup and weight gain.  This MD recommends his patients cut back on high fructose corn syrup, starting with sodas. 
So read some labels this week.  Look at the ingredients for foods made with high fructose corn syrup.  Is there another food you could buy that is not made with high fructose corn syrup?  High fructose corn syrup is not needed in one’s diet and avoiding it may be a healthy thing to do.  
Sources:   Sugar, Nature's Own,  Image source: High Fructose Corn Syrup 
 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How does coffee and tea affect blood sugar?

Image
Who doesn’t love some morning coffee?   Or, on cold days, a nice hot cup of tea.   Does drinking coffee or tea affect one’s blood glucose levels?    Should healthy adults be concerned about coffee or tea and blood glucose levels?   The Mayo Clinic says that for healthy adults, caffeine will probably have no noticeable effects on their blood sugar or blood glucose levels.   Studies have found that up to 400 milligrams of caffeine is safe for most of us.   A cup of coffee has about 120-180 milligrams of caffeine and most adults drink about 2 cups of coffee a day.   FDA says healthy adults can consume up to 400 mg of caffeine a day which equates to about 4-5 cups of coffee a day, or 10 cans of soda , or 2 “energy shot” drinks.   (See:   Caffeine – good or bad for your health? )     Can drinking coffee or tea reduce chances of getting type 2 diabetes? Some studies have found that coffee, tea, and other drinks with caffei...
Read more

Are there drinks that will help lower your blood pressure?

Image
According to the University of Southern California , almost half of Americans over the age of 20 have high blood pressure.   This means an astounding 122 million Americans.   Unfortunately, as you get older it is more likely to have blood pressure increase.   Many people don’t even know they have high blood pressure or hypertension.   The American Heart Association notes at first there are “no obvious symptoms to indicate something is wrong, but HBP can lead to heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure.”    A relative was asking what they could do diet wise to help lower their blood pressure.   We had already discussed the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension).   (See:   Best Diets for Healthy Eating in 2024 .) and physical activity.    Diet wise, they were cutting back on sodium and increasing potassium foods but were wondering if there were anything else like any drinks that could help lower blood pressure?  ...
Read more

How to eat for better sleep

Image
Having trouble sleeping?   Are there foods you can eat that would help you sleep?   My husband sent me an interesting article, 8 Eating Habits That Actually Improve Your Sleep . According to CDC , “about 1 in 3 adults in the United States reported not getting enough rest or sleep every day.”   A lot of Americans have problems sleeping, about 50-70 million Americans.   You probably heard that drinking warm milk before bed helps one sleep?   Is this true?   What eating habits really do help you get to sleep and stay asleep? Sleep and hunger Did you know that getting a good night’s sleep affects hunger hormones in your body?   A good night’s sleep can lead to less snacking the next day as it keeps hunger at bay.   A professor of nutrition at Columbia University, Marie-Pierre St-Onge, says, “If you eat better, you sleep better and be more refreshed.   And that helps you make better decision for your diet.”      Some tips to ea...
Read more