Fructose Vs. High Fructose

Food ingredient labels often resemble the supply list for a chemistry assignment. Even if you can pronounce the items in the list, their relation to the realm of food seems elusive. To make matters worse, marketing tactics mislead consumers regarding ingredient safety, leaving many questions without answers. High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) tops the list.

What is Fructose?

Fructose is natural. It is one of only three monosaccharides (a simple form of sugar) that exists in nature. The other two are glucose and galactose. All the other sugars you hear about are some combination of the three. Fructose is fruit sugar and is the sweetest of them all.

Isn't Corn Syrup Natural?

HFCS mucks the water a bit. You might ask, "But it's from corn, so isn't that natural?" The answer is not really. The process for making HFCS is long and complicated but basically involves the breaking down of corn starch into chains of glucose and fructose and then breaking down the chain to yield a very sweet, high level of fructose.

Risks of High Fructose Corn Syrup

Manufacturers love high fructose corn syrup because it acts as a preservative, extending the shelf life of their products, and it is extremely inexpensive. The controversy lies in the effect of HFCS on its consumers. Studies have linked HFCS to increasing the risk of obesity and subsequently obesity-related diseases such as cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. Mayo Clinic dietician Katherine Zeratsky says opposing studies, some sponsored by companies that use HFCS, reveal it is no more harmful than other sugars. She warns that consumption should be limited and recommends reducing the amount of processed foods and avoiding foods with added sugar.

Studies Find Mercury

Concern increased when two studies revealed that samples of HCFS contained mercury. Robert Preidt of HealthDay reported that the products with the highest mercury levels were those containing HFCS as the first or second item in the ingredient list.

On the Safe Side

Processed foods, especially sweetened beverages and snacks, contain the highest levels of HFCS. Choosing fresh fruits and whole snacks whenever possible will aid in reducing the amount of exposure to this processed sugar as well as the risk of developing aversive health conditions in the future as a result.