High-fructose corn syrup, or HFCS, is a liquid sweetener made from corn that is ubiquitous in processed foods. It's also been blamed for helping to fuel the American obesity epidemic. While evidence has shown that HFCS may influence obesity, there's no evidence that it has an effect on digestion.
High-fructose Corn Syrup
High-fructose corn syrup is somewhat sweeter than table sugar, and because of how it's made, it's very cheap to produce. It's generated by taking the starch in corn -- made up of molecules called amylose -- and processing that starch enzymatically to produce glucose. This glucose is then treated with an enzyme called invertase, which converts about half of it into fructose. The resulting mixture, HFCS, has slightly more fructose than table sugar in its most common form.
Digestion
Because of the chemical makeup of HFCS, you don't actually have to digest it at all. Unlike sucrose -- the chemical compound to which HFCS is most often compared -- the fructose and glucose molecules aren't bonded together in HFCS. You can absorb both glucose and fructose directly upon their entry into the small intestine, explains Dr. Lauralee Sherwood in her book, "Human Physiology."
Effect on Digestion
No scientific evidence suggests that glucose and fructose, taken independently or in a mixture, have any effect on the digestion of other foods. While it's possible that HFCS -- and other sugars -- affect digestion of the foods you eat, no research yet supports this notion. However, HFCS does have an effect on your body once you've absorbed the sugars into the bloodstream. For instance, you can take up glucose and fructose from the blood and use them to make energy or fat.
Other Concerns
While scientists don't yet know why, it seems that HFCS affects your body differently than other sugars, explains Dr. M. Bocarsly and colleagues in a 2010 paper published in "Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior." The study showed that rats fed HFCS gained more weight than those fed sucrose, when both had equal access to solid food. While this is preliminary research, it indicates that if you're trying to control your weight, it may be worthwhile to stay away from HFCS.
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