High Fructose Corn Syrup Scientific Nutritional Information

High-fructose corn syrup is an added sweetener that can show up in many of the food items you buy at the grocery store -- but mainly in regular soft drinks. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the beverage industry accounts for 41 percent of major users of high-fructose corn syrup, or HFCS. Nutritionally valueless, this syrup is added to sweeten food -- not to meet your nutritional needs.

What It Is

High-fructose corn syrup is one of many products that's made from corn through a process known as "wet milling," according to the USDA. First, corn starch is turned into a high-dextrose syrup, after which additional processing methods are used to make high-fructose corn syrup. Beverage manufacturers are the primary users of high-fructose corn syrup; however, it's also used by makers of processed foods, cereals and baked goods, dairy foods, candy and multiple-use foods.

Nutritional Value

From a nutritional standpoint, high-fructose corn syrup -- also called corn sugar -- is high in calories and total sugars but lacking in nutritional value. According to the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, a single tablespoon of high-fructose corn syrup contains 53 calories and roughly 14.5 g of carbohydrates and 5 g sugars. Comparatively, 1 tbsp. of granulated table sugar derived from sugar cane, also called sucrose, has 49 calories and roughly 12.5 g carbohydrates and sugars. In an article published in the December 2008 issue of "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" a researcher from White Technical Research in Argenta, Illinois, stated that high-fructose corn syrup is "not meaningfully different in composition or metabolism from other fructose-glucose sweeteners like sucrose, honey, and fruit juice concentrates."

Corn Sugar and Your Diet

Natural and added sugars, such as high-fructose corn syrup, are simple carbohydrates that give you energy, says MayoClinic.Com. But from a nutritional standpoint, they have nothing else to offer aside from better-tasting foods and drinks. Modest amounts of high-fructose corn syrup won't hurt you, but if you consume it in large amounts -- such as drinking too many soft drinks -- it can lead to poor nutrition, because you miss out on healthier choices, such as low-fat milk. Also, getting too many empty calories can lead to weight gain. High-fructose corn syrup and other added sweeteners are packed with calories.

Health Concerns

Lack of nutritional value aside, some studies suggest that high-fructose corn syrup is worse for you than other types of added sugars because your body may process it differently, says Mayo Clinic nutritionist Jennifer K. Nelson. According to the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" article, the top 20 percent of consumers who eat added sugars get 316 calories from high-fructose corn syrup daily. The article posits that you digest, absorb and metabolize fructose differently, which leads to weight gain. Additionally, you may drink too many beverages with added corn sugars -- such as soft drinks -- simply because they do taste so good to your palate.

Added Sugar Limits

There's still no conclusive evidence to indicate that high-fructose corn syrup is any worse for you than other types of added sweeteners, Nelson says. But it's not necessary, from a nutritional standpoint. The calories you get from added sugars are "discretionary calories" -- those you have left over after you eat a nutritious, well-rounded diet. According to MayoClinic.Com, these vary depending on your age, health and how much exercise you get each day. If you eat a 2,000-calorie diet, no more than 267 should be allotted to foods with added sugars, such as soft drinks and other sweet treats, alcohol and fat-laden foods. The American Heart Association takes a more conservative approach and advises adult men and women to get no more than 150 and 100 calories, respectively, from added sugar.