High fructose corn syrup --- or HFCS --- has gotten a lot of bad press lately, although scientists are divided on whether it is worse than other sweeteners. Meanwhile, agave nectar is touted as a healthy, natural sweetener. Like many people, you may be confused about the origins of both and whether one is healthier than the other.
Origins of High Fructose Corn Syrup
Corn sweetener is an end product of corn milled using a wet mill process. The Iowa State University Extension explains that just one bushel of wet-milled corn can produce 33 lb. of corn sweetener, in addition to corn oil, poultry feed and other products. Further processing of corn syrup creates high fructose corn syrup, which is sweeter than the original syrup.
Origins of Agave Nectar
Agave nectar is a sweetener made from the agave plant, a succulent native to Mexico. It is a processed sweetener, although it goes through less processing than does high fructose corn syrup. The plant's sap is filtered and heated, which breaks down the sap's carbohydrates into sugar, primarily fructose. Light and dark agave are both produced through this process. Light is mild in taste, while dark is stronger.
Calories
Agave nectar and high fructose corn syrup both contain 16 calories per teaspoon --- the same number of calories as a teaspoon of sugar. Agave nectar is most often added to foods at the table or in home baking. Because agave nectar is sweeter than table sugar, you may be able to use less and reduce the calorie count. High fructose corn syrup is typically not added at the table, but is instead an ingredient in many processed foods, making it more difficult to judge exactly how much you are ingesting.
Obesity and High Fructose Corn Syrup
Two Princeton studies published in 2010 compared rats fed high fructose corn syrup to rats fed sucrose. In the first, one group was fed the same amount of sucrose as in some sodas, while the other group was fed half the amount of HFCS found in sodas. Even though total caloric intake was the same for both groups, the group fed HFCS gained more weight than did the sucrose group.
The second study compared two groups of rats over six months. The HFCS group gained more weight, especially around the abdomen, and triglyceride levels increased. Male rats were especially affected, gaining 48 percent more weight than did the sucrose group.
Obesity and Other Sweeteners
Many scientists say all sweeteners, including high fructose corn syrup, are metabolized in the same way by the body, and, therefore, no one sweetener affects weight gain more than another. Total sweetener intake has increased more than 20 percent over the past two decades, along with increases in portion sizes of all foods. It may be that agave nectar contributes less to weight gain because it is sweeter so that you use less. It may also be that the biggest threat from HFCS comes from it being found in so many processed foods. To reduce your intake of all sweeteners, read ingredient lists and avoid heavily sweetened products.
References
- Iowa State University Extension; High Fructose Corn Syrup: How Sweet It Is; R. Litchefield
- University of Missouri Extension; Agave Nectar; G. Kinder; June 2010
- Princeton University; A Sweet Problem: Princeton Researchers Find That High-Fructose Corn Syrup Prompts Considerably More Weight Gain; H. Parker; March 2010
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