HFCS = Holla for Corn Syrup

Hey my friends, just a little info today. It won't change your politics, it won't change your religion, but it may just change the way you eat...

High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has gotten a bad rap in recent years, mostly because its increasing use correlates with an increase in obesity. Does HFCS really make us more obese than regular sugar? It is still debated, but my conclusions are that it probably doesn't. I read a few papers in the Advanced Nutrition course taught by Matt Schmidt, and concluded that high fructose corn syrup is not any worse for you than sucrose (table sugar). Sucrose and HFCS are both about 50% glucose and 50% fructose. Some people believe that fructose is not digested in the same way as glucose, which may lead to weight gain. However, all that hype really only matters when you eat pure fructose. The real scare is just eating too much sugar in whatever form, and thus too many calories, which can lead to weight gain. Overuse of HFCS and sucrose really affect your body in the same negative ways, but every manufacturer and their mom use HFCS because it is less expensive than table sugar.

For more about what the American Medical Association and the American Dietetic Association are saying about HFCS, click here. Some health professionals are trying to undo the damage that has been done against HFCS, opposing the research that says HFCS is worse for you than regular sugar. However, other health professionals don't care to set the record straight. These "sideliners" may believe sugar and HFCS to be equal evils, but they also believe that the more people are scared of HFCS, the more likely they'll be to stay away from it, which is really not a bad thing. We may just see a more healthy, non-diabetic, non-obese population if we spread evil rumors about HFCS. Maybe we should consider the fight against obesity and diabetes more important than the restoration of HFCS's reputation. Besides, no worries, the Corn Refiners' Association will have faith restored in HFCS before we know it.

Thanks for reading- Heather