by Dr. Christine Gonzalez (Integrative PharmD, CHC)
Are you confused about high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) – What it is and is it really bad for you? With the recent ad campaign by the Corn Refiners Association (CRA), many consumers are trying to separate truth from fiction. Two of the television commercials make claims that HFCS is "made from corn, doesn’t have artificial ingredients, has the same calories as sugar and honey, and like sugar, is fine in moderation". There are some elements of truth to these claims. BUT, as presented, the information is misleading and lures consumers to think that there is nothing wrong with HFCS. This supports the consumption of processed foods (containing HFCS), which is strongly linked to the increasing rates of diabetes and obesity in America.
Starting with the basics... Table sugar, the common white stuff, is derived from sugarcane and sugar beets. It is sucrose, which is comprised of equal parts of glucose and fructose (50% each). Many people assume that HFCS is mostly fructose – the sugar naturally found in fruits, vegetables, and honey. This is actually NOT the case. The two types of HFCS are 42-HFCS and 55-HFCS. Basically, both varieties are almost half glucose and half fructose, like table sugar. However, the glucose and fructose in table sugar are chemically bonded but once digested, are broken apart. In HFCS, the glucose and fructose are not bonded and can be thought of as "free sugars". Biochemically, your body cannot tell the difference, and this is why many 'experts' consider table sugar and HFCS to be nutritionally equal and how they each have the same number of calories. But that doesn't mean HFCS is the same thing as table sugar.
Although it is initially made from corn, HFCS is NOT a naturally occurring substance. It is produced by a processing procedure that breaks cornstarch down into glucose. Then some of that is converted into fructose. A synthetic fixing agent fixes the enzymes that are then packed into a column, and the sugar slurry is passed over that column to make the HCFS. Since the synthetic fixing agent does not actually come into contact with the final product, it is not considered to be included or added. The descriptor of HFCS as "natural" basically depends on whose definition you are using. On July 8, 2008 the FDA made a statement in a letter that "high-fructose corn syrup may be labeled natural when synthetic fixing agents do not come into contact with it during manufacturing". It is this definition that allows the CRA to make the claim that HFCS is "natural" and thus does not have artificial ingredients.
HFCS is in most of the processed foods that Americans consume. It is a known fact that rates of diabetes and obesity continue to rise at an alarming rate, and current research has clearly established a link between processed foods and increased risks for these diseases. As an example, data from the Harvard University Nurses' Health Study correlates the consumption of sweetened drinks with raising the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes in women. While it is prudent to advocate moderate consumption of HFCS-containing foods and drinks, the CRA does not provide specific guidelines for using in moderation.
In the end, to say HFCS is no different than other natural, artificial, or chemical sweeteners will continue to be debated so long as the FDA's 'definition' remains the same. HFCS is not a whole food like corn, is produced using artificial ingredients, has a different chemical arrangement than table sugar, and has no specific guidelines around moderate use. The CRA's campaign to paint a more positive picture of HFCS essentially encourages the typical American diet – one that is overloaded with processed foods. This is one of the major factors contributing to the diabetes and obesity epidemic. The sheer number of products on our supermarket shelves that contain HFCS makes it almost inevitable. So, please: read labels. Be an informed consumer. And if you decide for yourself and for your family that you’d rather not include HFCS as part of your diet, choose to purchase foods and beverages that do not contain it. Your body (and your family) will thank you for it!
Let us know what YOU think!
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admin | [Posted 9/20/08; 7:07 PM EST]
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Check out this video that was created by Bev – one of our community members – in response to the high-fructose corn syrup ads!
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J Walker | [Posted 9/30/08; 5:56 PM EST]
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Nice Work! Love the video you made.
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Tina Marian | [Posted 9/24/08; 7:07 AM EST]
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This makes my blood pressure rise! We, as health counselors need to continue to get the truth out there, as people's lives are at stake. Just goes to show you that if you have the money you have the ability to influence the masses. I for one can't wait to start to use this very commercial as an example of public deceit of the masses.
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Adrianna D'Angelo | [Posted 9/23/08; 9:10 PM EST]
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The commercial disturbed me, and I'm so glad to see you are taking issue with it. I think if nothing else, the fact that the amount of HFCS in any given product is not measurable makes it a dangerous thing... how is one to consume it in "moderation", particularly if HFCS is in the majority of processed foods?
Thanks for this article!
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Hilary Greever | [Posted 9/23/08; 8:28 PM EST]
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Thank you for your truthful information on HFCS, unlike that which is now being broadcast to TV viewers by the CRA. That most who view these commercials will be misled by the spin put on them by the CRA is disturbing, and is a major call for those of us in the field of health and nutrition to take action to make the public aware of the truth.
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Carolyn Marie Solton | [Posted 9/23/08; 5:27 PM EST]
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Thanks for making this video... We will work diligently with you to make sure the public is properly educated!
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amygirl277 | [Posted 9/23/08; 3:49 PM EST]
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Thank you for bringing some sanity and truth in this insane attempt to
dupe the American public. We have work to do now more than ever.
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Joshua Rosenthal | [Posted 9/21/08; 3:05 PM EST]
Founder & Director, Institute for Integrative Nutrition
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These are brilliant. Thank you.