While high-fructose corn syrup is widely used, the sweetener and preservative has gotten a bad name. It has been blamed for everything from the obesity crisis to diabetes. Some of the myths surrounding high-fructose corn syrup are based in fact, but the truth is complex. If you're considering avoiding the sweetener, learn about the health risks to make an informed decision.
Features
High-fructose corn syrup is made by turning glucose in cornstarch into fructose. The end result is a combination of fructose and glucose. High-fructose corn syrup is found in many soft drinks and processed foods, especially in the United States. Some foods with high high-fructose corn syrup content include fruit drinks, candied and canned fruits, dairy desserts, flavored yogurts, most baked goods, many cereals and jellies.
Added Sugar
Many foods contain added sugar. Added sugar should be limited because it increases calorie content of foods and can lead to swings in blood sugar. High-fructose corn syrup is the most popular sweetener, but there's no evidence that it's any worse for your body than other added sweeteners, according to Michael F. Jacobson, Ph.D., executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, quoted by MSNBC. However, high-fructose corn syrup hasn't been studied for long enough to say for sure that it's equally as harmful as other added sugars.
Weight Gain
Excessive consumption of high-fructose corn syrup in sweetened beverages like soft drinks may have contributed to the obesity epidemic in the United States, according to a 2004 study published by George A. Bray and colleagues in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition." The researchers recommended that people choose soft drinks with artificial sweeteners rather than high-fructose corn syrup. However, it's not certain that high-fructose corn syrup caused the epidemic. It's only known for sure that as consumption of high-fructose corn syrup went up in the United States, so did weight.
Diabetes
The myth that high-fructose corn syrup causes diabetes has not been proved. However, high-fructose corn syrup has led to a decrease in the cost of high-calorie, sweetened foods. This cut in cost may have contributed to weight gain, which contributes to diabetes. Research is underway to determine if high-fructose corn syrup contributes to diabetes in other ways. Soda sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup contains large amounts of reactive carbonyls, which are also present in excess in the blood of people with diabetes and may contribute to tissue damage, according to 2007 Rutgers University research presented at the 234th national meeting of the American Chemical Society by Chih-Yu Lo, Ph.D. and colleagues. Researchers are currently trying to determine if this association is causal.
Mercury
Some high-fructose corn syrup contains small amounts of mercury, according to a 2009 study in "Environmental Health" published by Renee Dufault and colleagues. Mercury is a neurological toxin with the potential to damage the heart, immune and nervous system. Mercury is especial dangerous for pregnant women to consume, because it can damage the brains of unborn children, causing learning problems and low IQ.
Recommendations
The Food and Drug Administration has ruled that high-fructose corn syrup is safe to consume. The Mayo Clinic recommends that those who are concerned about the amount of high-fructose corn syrup in their diet should limit processed foods, avoid foods with added sugar and limit consumption of soft drinks. However, a report by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy recommends steering clear of it, at least until the food industry begins producing it in a way that doesn't cause high-fructose corn syrup to contain mercury. Pregnant women and women of child-bearing age should be especially concerned because of the dangers mercury poses to unborn children.
References
- MayoClinic.com: High-fructose corn syrup: What are the concerns?
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Consumption of High-fructose Corn Syrup in Beverages May Play a Role in the Epidemic of Obesity; George A. Bray et al; 2004.
- MSNBC: High-fructose Corn Syrup: How Dangerous Is It?
- Science Daily: Soda Warning? High-Fructose Corn Syrup Linked To Diabetes, New Study Suggests
- "Environmental Health"; Mercury from Chlor-alkali Plants: Measured Concentrations in Food Product Sugar; Renee Dufault et al; 2009.
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