High fructose corn syrup is a liquid sweetener derived from corn. It is inexpensive to produce, has a long shelf life and makes food moist, making it attractive to food and beverage manufacturers. Since its use as a sweetening agent in commercially produced foods has increased, doctors and scientists have noticed a troubling trend of rising obesity rates that appears to correlate to use of HFCS.
Making High Fructose Corn Syrup
HFCS begins as corn starch. Corn starch contains sucrose, a compound sugar composed mainly of glucose and fructose. The corn starch must undergo a complicated natural and synthetic enzymatic process that converts some of the glucose into fructose. The result is a sweetener that contains a higher ratio of fructose to glucose, hence the term high fructose. HCFS with 42 percent fructose is used mainly in baked and other processed goods. Through further refining, fructose levels increase to 55 percent. The 55 percent HFCS is used primarily in soft drinks.
Abdominal Fat
Abdominal fat is visceral fat, rather than surface fat. It accumulates deep within the abdominal cavity and has been linked to metabolic changes and increased risk of chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, type-2 diabetes and certain cancers. As scientists study the role of abdominal fat, they have found that it disrupts hormone functions and levels. It is linked to insulin resistance and higher levels of LDL, or bad, cholesterol, while lowering levels of HDL, or good, cholesterol. These factors, along with high blood pressure, comprise a condition known as metabolic syndrome, a high risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
HFCS and Increased Abdominal Fat
Rats that were fed a diet that included HFCS developed significantly more abdominal fat than those fed a diet that included table sugar, according to a 2010 long-term study on the effects of HFCS on abdominal fat by researchers from Princeton University. Even with caloric intake equal for both groups, the HFCS group had higher levels of dangerous fat around their bellies and developed obesity and conditions similar to metabolic syndrome in humans. Additionally, a 10-year study of 360,000 European participants on the risk of death associated with abdominal fat, published in "The New England Journal of Medicine" in 2008, showed that abdominal fat was an increased risk factor for premature death.
Eliminating HFCS from Your Diet
Reading food package labels is the best way to avoid foods that contain HFCS. Manufacturers are aware that health-conscious consumers look for healthy products, and some have begun to label products as HFCS-free. However, HFCS is found in nearly all commercially manufactured foods. It is the main sweetener of most carbonated sodas and many fruit juices. It is also a primary sweetener in cereals, breads and crackers, and condiments like ketchup.
References
- High Fructose Corn Syrup: High Fructose Corn Syrup
- Miller-McCune: High Fructose Corn Syrup's Health Risks Remain Sticky
- Princeton University: A Sweet Problem: Princeton Researchers Find That High Fructose Corn Syrup Prompts Considerably More Weight Gain; Hilary Parker; 2010
- The New England Journal of Medicine: General and Abdominal Adiposity and Risk of Death in Europe; T. Pischon, et al; 2008
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