Why the high fructose corn syrup is bad for you

We plunge into the nutritional research of this very tremor sweetener to reach a final verdict.


Additional Reporting by Kelsey Hampton, MS, RDN, LD, CSSD

Chances you have heard about high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and maybe even see it on nutrition tags forsoda And sweets. People are often blaming to play a major role in the American obesity epidemic.

Despite his ubiquity, everyone does not have an understanding firm exactly what the sweetener is, where he is hiding, and why consensus seems to be to avoid it if and when you can.

In this spirit, we have highlighted a guide on HFCS designed to tell you that you need to know everything about the sweetening substance made from juice juice toMore food items safe like salad vinaigrette and tomato sauce. (And-Spoiler Alert - While it provides little nutritional value, high fructose corn syrup is probably not the only cause of growing rate of obesity.)

What is the high fructose corn syrup and why is it added to the food?

HFCS is a common sweetener that manufacturers make corn maize. As its name describes it, fructose is one of the main types of sugar found in HFCS.

To create this sweetener, manufacturers combine corn with water and enzymes to produce corn syrup, which is essentially100% glucose. Once the liquid is produced, additional enzymes are introduced to convert some of the fructose glucose.

The "high fructose" in high fructose corn syrup describes the highest fructose levels compared to pure corn syrup. Pure corn syrup is traditionally nearly 100% glucose.

Now, glucose and fructose are two different sugar forms, so why put the effort to turn a sugar into another? A higher percentage of fructose creates an even softer product than sucrose or table sugar. It's also cheaper than sugar. It's great for manufacturers because they now have a versatile ingredient that can be used in a range of food and drinks. In addition, manufacturers can use less HFCS to give the desired flavor profile because gentleness is more concentrated than granulated sugar.

What foods contain high fructose corn syrup?

Although HFCs appear in sugary desserts and drinks, the sweet substance also softens the food items you may not have expected. Some surprising sources of HFC include "healthy" foods such as salad dressings, yogurts and even bread.

In fact, HFCS is so widespread that in 2016, the US Department of Agriculturevalued The average American consumed about seven tea tea spoons a day, which adds about 24 pounds a year.

How is the high fructose corn syrup different from sugar?

Sucrose is the formal name for table sugar. It is a combination of a glucose molecule and a fructose molecule. This desiccharide (two molecules of sugar linked together) is naturally found inPlant-based foods Including fruits, vegetables and sugar cane beets and sugar from which table sugar are produced.

Fructose appears naturally in fruits, vegetables and honey. However, it is unique to sucrose and glucose in that it has a softer taste whilehave the lowest impact on blood glucose, Which is a good thing. While fruits contain natural fructose, enzymes produce fructose in HFCs.

Like table sugar,HFCS is a combination of glucose and fructose.

The high corn syrup of fructose is different from the table sugar as follows:

  • The ratio of fructose and glucose: There are two common Formulations of HFC containing variable percentages of fructose. HFCS 42 contain 42% fructose and HFCS 55 contains 55% fructose. The rest of the HFC is glucose and water. The sugar is 50% fructose, which rests in the middle of the two common HFCS formulations.
  • Water content: Processors dilute HFCs with water, but there is no water in table sugar.
  • Chemicals between sugar molecules: In sugar, a chemical bonding joint glucose and fructose. In HFCS, there is no chemical bond between the two simple sugars.

So, why was this liquid sweetener subscribed more control than his granulated counterpart?

Why is the high fructose corn syrup bad for us as a sweetener?

Alladded sugars, including HFC, table sugar and even "pure natural cane sugar" marketed as a better quality sugar, have the potential to lead to weight gain and related health conditions.

Currently, there is enough contradictory research on HFCs, it's hard to say exactly how bad it's for us. Someresearch noted no significant difference in metabolic or endocrine response between HFCs and sucrose whileOther searches Concution HFCS can cause metabolic dysfunction and contribute to more significant obesity than other sweeteners.

It is well documented that fructose can increase hunger and the desire for food that canMake a more difficult weight control, and thatHigh sugar schemes, including sucrose and HFCs, canincrease the risk For obesity and increase triglyceride, blood glucose and blood pressure levels.

Is the corn syrup with fructose worse than white sugar?

Due to the amount of contradictory research, we can not concretely that HFCs are worse for our health than table sugar. However, we know that food products and drinks containing fructose contribute to an increase in obesity rates and chronic diseases.

Although you can include these products as part of a healthy and well rounded diet, it is not the healthiest approach. For the most part, sweet drinks, bakery products, sweets and sweet snack do not contribute beneficial nutrients.

If the addition of sugar to your coffee or pick up fruit snacks made with HFCs, it is in our interest toReduce all forms of added sugar and increase the less treated forms of carbohydrates in their natural state.

Conclusion

It is not fair to contribute our rise in obesity and related health conditions to a single ingredient. However, it is reasonable to think that the increase in the availability of processed foods and sweet drinks that use different forms of sugar have contributed negatively to our health.


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