Cane sugar comes from the family of sugarcane grasses, of which numerous species are harvested and processed to extract their sugar-rich juices. High-fructose corn syrup is produced by the enzymatic processing of natural corn starch to yield sugars. The flexibility and liquid state of HFCS have made it an increasingly popular sweetening agent worldwide, and today it is used in all manner of sweetened foods and beverages. Some controversy continues over the potential for negative health effects from HFCS.
Sugarcane
Sugarcane describes a family of tall, woody grasses originally native to tropical southern Asia. Four species of sugarcane are cultivated for sugar production. Centuries of trade and exploration spread sugarcane to countries worldwide, and the grasses are now cultivated in both the Eastern and Western hemispheres.
Depending on species, it can take a sugarcane plant anywhere from six months to almost two years to achieve maturity. Being a grass, sugarcane will regrow following the harvesting of its top portion, provided that the underlying roots are left intact.
Sugar Production
Harvested sugarcane is first crushed to extract the cane juice. The solid remnants of the cane, known as bagasse, are set aside as fuel or recycling material, while the sweet juice is cleaned and heated. The clarified juice is then boiled to drive off most water, leading the sugar to begin crystallizing. Brown sugar and molasses are almost complete at this stage. White table sugar undergoes further refining using acids and bases, and thorough drying.
Cane sugar is chemically known as sucrose, which consists of two sugar molecules, fructose and glucose, linked together. Cane sugar is approximately 50 percent fructose and 50 percent glucose by weight.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, nearly 10 million tons of sugar were delivered for use in U.S. food products during 2010.
Corn Syrup Production
Corn syrup production begins by soaking harvested corn to moisten the kernel and ease the separation of different plant components. The separated starch is then treated with enzymes that convert the starchy mixture into a sweet glucose syrup. Further enzymatic treatments convert the glucose into fructose, in a reaction that can be stopped when the desired level of fructose is reached.
HFCS can be manufactured with a fructose content up to 95 percent, however, the large majority of HFCS used in food products contains a maximum of 55 percent fructose.
Corn Syrup Popularity
The USDA notes that nearly 8 million tons of corn syrup were delivered for us in American food products in 2010, making it a close rival to sugar. HFCS today is used in a wide range of foods, including baked goods, beverages, frozen confectioneries and many others.
HFCS generally blends well with other ingredients, maintains food moisture and texture and can add volume.
HFCS can be both sweeter and less expensive than sugar, whose price is boosted by U.S. government import taxes and restrictions. As a liquid, HFCS is also efficient to transport and handle.
Corn Syrup Controversy
Some researchers and nutritionists have focused on HFCS as a potential culprit in promoting obesity. Some research has indicated that fructose, unlike glucose, may fail to stimulate production of leptin, which moderates appetite and hunger. Another possible problem is that while fructose does not raise blood sugar -- a possible benefit to diabetics -- it is processed directly by the liver and some say an excess of fructose taxes the liver and could lead to fatty liver disease.
Researcher George Bray and colleagues at Louisiana State University, writing in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" in 2004, state that the "increased use of HFCS in the United States mirrors the rapid increase in obesity" since 1970. Princeton University researchers in 2010 found that rats receiving HFCS gained substantially more weight than those receiving table sugar, and suggested a potential link to human obesity.
In contrast, the American Medical Association has found assertions that HFCS induces obesity more than cane sugar to be unsupported by current evidence, stating that "it appears unlikely that HFCS contributes more to obesity or other conditions than sucrose." The American Dietetic Association concludes that the safety of HFCS "has been thoroughly and consistently documented over the past 25 years."
2008 research in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" also found no substantial difference in health effects between HFCS and other sugar sweeteners.
The AMA recommends that Americans maintain a low intake of all sugar sweeteners.
References
- American Medical Association; The Health Effects of High Fructose Syrup
- Food Product Design; Carbohydrate Sweeteners; Elaine Knehr
- U.S. Department of Agriculture; Administering Sugar Imports
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition": High-fructose Corn Syrup, Energy Intake, and Appetite Regulation; K Melanson, et al; December 2008
- American Dietetic Association; Facts About Fructose
- U.S. Department of Agriculture; Sugar and Sweeteners: Recommended Data
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