High Fructose Corn Syrup: The Jury Is Still Out

03/25/2010

By Susan Brady
Published: Thursday, 25 March 2010

High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has come under fire from a variety of sources as an unhealthy sweetener too frequently used in beverages and other food products. HFCS is low in cost and food manufacturers have found it easier to incorporate into their products, but it has been suggested that it is contributing to the obesity epidemic.

High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a mixture of fructose and glucose, both components of common table sugar. The difference is in the ratio of the two in HFCS, which causes the body to respond differently. Researchers from Princeton have completed a study that attempts to prove the validity of the effects of HFCS on obesity. Initial findings look good, but industry professionals have been quick to point out the numerous flaws in the study and methodology employed.

The Princeton study utilized rats that were age-, weight-, and sex-identical and exposed them to unlimited food supplies. Groupings were also exposed to water-only liquid, sucrose solution, or HFCS solution (with either 12- or 24-hour access). At the end of the first study, which lasted two months, the rats having gained the most weight were that of the males in the 12-hour HFCS group, even though they consumed less calories than the sucrose group. One step forward. To verify the weight gain, the rats were dissected and their fat pads analyzed. While the 12-hour HFCS group did indeed have a significantly higher fat ratio, those that were on the 24-hour HFCS—theoretically twice as much access and consumption—showed no difference from the water-only control group. Two steps back.

Confounding the matter is the second study conducted that ran for six months. The male sucrose group was left out, although they did include a female sucrose group. The female group showed no real difference in the 12-hour HFCS group, but did in the 24-hour group. Another step back.

While there were problems with this study and it did not prove definitively that HFCS contributes to obesity, it does show that further research is needed. Meanwhile the food industry will continue to incorporate the cheaper HFCS into their products. But you do have a choice in what you buy, and you can choose to eliminate high fructose corn syrup from your diet. Read those labels, avoid processed food, and spend more time in the vegetable aisle of your grocery store.