HFCS and the Brain

High fructose corn syrup, or HFCS, is the most common sweetening agent used in processed foods and beverages today, according to Jennifer K. Nelson, a registered dietitian affiliated with Mayo Clinic. It is chemically similar to normal table sugar, but some believe that our brains process it differently and that these differences are accountable for the massive increases in obesity seen in the United States since the 1970s.

HFCS and Obesity

Americans' consumption of HFCS increased over 1,000 percent between 1970 and 1990, according to "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition." This growth in consumption far exceeds increases in the consumption of any other food group during that time. Though obesity can be affected by genetic factors, the rapid ascendance of obesity rates in the United States indicates that environmental factors, such as diet, are more likely the cause. Obesity levels in the United States have grown concurrently with increases in HFCS consumption, further implicating this sweetener as a likely culprit behind the obesity epidemic.

HFCS and Satiety

The mechanism by which HFCS increases rates of obesity appear to have some connection to the way the brain responds to it. As ACJN notes, glucose sends signals that tell your brain when you are full, but fructose doesn't. In fact, pediatric endocrinologist Robert Lustig of the University of California at San Francisco states that fructose metabolism actually induces the brain to make you feel hungrier, thus prompting a vicious cycle of over consumption.

HFCS and Public Policy

Regardless of the deleterious effects of high fructose corn syrup on your health, you won't see it disappearing from the shelves any time soon, unless there are massive changes in the way food is subsidized. As Michael Pollan of the Knight Program in Science and Environmental Journalism at UC Berkeley explains, government subsidies to farmers support the overproduction of high fructose corn syrup. While this is good news for those who profit from HCFS, it's bad news for consumers who will continue to be inundated with products containing this substance.

Products Containing HFCS

If you are interested in freeing your brain from the obesity-inducing effects of HCFS, you will need to become an avid label reader and review the ingredients lists of the foods you buy. Many processed foods contain this sweetener, including soft drinks, baked goods, jellies, jams and dairy products, where it is used as a substitute for sucrose, according to the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition."