Take a look at the ingredients lists on the products in your refrigerator and pantry, and you'll probably find one thing many of them have in common: high-fructose corn syrup. This mysterious ingredient comes from one of the most prevalent crops grown in the United States, and its use has both pros and cons.
Definition
According to Sara Novak from Discovery's Planet Green, high-fructose corn syrup is made from corn kernels that are spun at high velocity and combined with enzymes to form a thick syrup. This syrup can be added to foods and beverages. It was introduced into American diets in the early 1970s, according to Princeton University. Since then, it has been substituted for sugar in many of the products we eat and drink every day, from soft drinks to ketchup to yogurt.
Pros
High-fructose corn syrup extends the shelf life of processed foods, such as baked goods and candies, according to Katherine Zeratsky of the Mayo Clinic. It's also cheaper than sugar. When manufacturers use it instead of sugar, they can lower their prices or make more profit. The Corn Refiners Association (CRA) reports that high-fructose corn syrup gives baked goods a better appearance and moister texture. In tomato products, it enhances flavor and balance, and it improves the texture of canned and frozen fruits.
Health Cons
In 2010, researchers at Princeton University found that long-term consumption of high-fructose corn syrup can lead to abnormal increases in body fat, especially in the abdomen, and a rise in cholesterol. In one study, rats given water sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup gained much more weight than rats that drank water sweetened with table sugar. In another study, rats given a diet high in high-fructose corn syrup gained 48 percent more weight over six months than rats given only regular rat chow. The rats that consumed high-fructose corn syrup also developed high levels of triglycerides, which leads to increased cholesterol and possibly heart disease.
Environmental Cons
High-fructose corn syrup is bad for the environment as well as for our bodies, according to Novak. Because high-fructose corn syrup is so prevalent in American foods, a great deal of corn is grown each year to produce it. Corn crops require huge amounts of pesticides, which pollute our soil and ground water. Corn is also grown as a monoculture, which means that the land it's grown on is not rotated among other crops. This depletes the nutrients in soil and leads to erosion.
Similarities with Sugar
Just like sugar, high-fructose corn syrup is high in calories and low in nutritional value. Eating lots of foods that contain either sweetener can increase your chances of obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease, according to Zeratsky. The CRA reports that high-fructose corn syrup and sugar both have four calories per gram, and they are nearly identical in composition.
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