Sugar vs. high fructose corn syrup
3 comments July 7th, 2009
As a registered dietitian, I encounter much confusion and misinformation about high fructose corn syrup and other sweeteners. The recent announcement from Starbucks (and other food manufacturers) that they’re switching to refined sugar is adding to the confusion. Reformulating products to remove high fructose corn syrup misleads consumers into thinking that products sweetened with other sweeteners, such as sugar, are healthier. Yet, there is no scientific basis to suggest that baked goods, soda, juice drinks, and other products made with sugar are ‘healthier.’ So why the switch? It’s about marketing, not metabolism. Perception has become reality in the minds of consumers, despite the following facts:
- High fructose corn syrup contains the same number of calories as sugar and honey (4 calories per gram) and provides the same level of sweetness.
- Research confirms that there is no difference in how the body metabolizes these sugars. In fact, in a recently published report, the American Medical Association and other scientists dispelled the myth that high fructose corn syrup causes obesity, stating that “high fructose corn syrup does not appear to contribute to obesity more than other caloric sweeteners.”
- Table sugar, or sucrose, is made up of glucose and fructose, same as in high fructose corn syrup. The difference is in whether it comes from sugar cane (or sugar beets) or corn. Both undergo processing to produce either table sugar or high fructose corn syrup.
- Table sugar offers no nutritional advantages. All sugars are “empty calories” and provide calories with no beneficial nutrients.
In my honest opinion, there are many other nutrition issues more worthy of concern, such as calories, which always count in the end. To keep calories low and nutrients high, your best bet is to watch your portions, enjoy whole foods, and go easy on all sugary foods.
