Among the many sweeteners available today, those derived from corn or fructose are the most prevalent. Corn syrup is made from cornstarch. Fructose is a natural fruit sugar found in fresh fruits, vegetables and honey. Fructose is sweeter than corn syrup and used to sweeten many sugar substitutes, including high fructose corn syrup.
Fructose
Fructose is a monosaccharide, meaning a single sugar unit. Commercial production of fructose began in Finland in 1969. It is the primary sugar substitute for sucrose and used to decrease the caloric content of sweetened food. As a sugar substitute, it is used in baked goods and as a sweetener in lower-calorie beverages. It is also a component of high fructose corn syrup and crystalline fructose sugar substitutes.
Corn Syrup
During processing, enzymes are added to cornstarch, breaking the gel-like substance up into smaller fractions. The end product is corn syrup, which mostly contains glucose. Chemists continue to add other enzymes, converting some of the glucose units into fructose, making the syrup sweeter. When heated, corn syrup retains its smooth texture whereas granulated sugar does not. This makes it ideal for hard candy, fudge, cake and other baked goods.
High Fructose Corn Syrup
According to an article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) accounts for more than 40 percent of caloric sweeteners added to foods and beverages and is the exclusive sweetener for soft drinks in the United States. Two major forms are used: HFCS 42 (42 percent fructose, 43 percent glucose) and HFCS 55 (55 percent fructose, 42 percent glucose).
Crystalline Fructose
Like HFCS, crystalline fructose is made from cornstarch, but it can also be made from sugar cane and sugar beets. Crystalline fructose undergoes additional processing to become practically 100 percent fructose. The end result is a sweeter product that allows food manufacturers to create lower-calorie foods and beverages. Substituting crystalline fructose for HFCS can decrease a product’s calories by about 5 percent.
Expert Insight
Corn syrup, sucrose and fructose all are digested in the body as glucose or fructose. When used as added sweeteners or sugar substitutes, they are found in foods that are typically high in calories and low in nutrients. For those watching calories, sugar substitutes such as crystalline fructose may be preferred over regular sugar (sucrose) or high fructose corn syrup.
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