Valentine’s Day is two days away. It’s a day of love, flowers, presents, candy and high fructose corn syrup….
Wait….what???
Yes, high fructose corn syrup will be present on Valentine’s Day in many of your candies and soft drinks. Not to worry though! In this post I’m going to clear up some common myths and misconceptions about this hot topic.
Misconception 1: High fructose corn syrup is bad for you.
Answer: High fructose corn syrup has almost the same composition as table sugar, honey and fruit juices like grape and apple. “When high fructose corn syrup and sugar are absorbed into our bloodstream, the two are indistinguishable by the body,” Joan Salge Blake, M.S., R.D., L.D.N. Sugar is sugar and all of it should be consumed in moderation.
Misconception 2: High fructose corn syrup is not natural.
Answer: This is not true. HFCS is made from corn, a naturally occurring food. It contains no artificial or synthetic ingredients or color additives. It also meets the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s requirements for use of the term “natural.”
Misconception 3: High fructose corn syrup is causing wide-spread obesity in the United States.
Answer: In 2008 the American Medical Association (AMA) concluded that HFCS does not appear to contribute more to obesity than any other caloric sweeteners.
“At this time there is insufficient evidence to restrict the use of high fructose syrup or label products that contain it with a warning,” said AMA Board Member William Dolan, MD. “We do recommend consumers limit the amount of all added caloric sweeteners to no more than 32 grams of sugar daily based on a 2,000 calorie diet in accordance with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.”
“The real issue is not high fructose corn syrup. It’s that we’ve forgotten what a real serving size is. We have to eat less of everything,”stated David Klurfeld, Ph.D, from the Agricultural Research Service at the USDA.
Misconception 4: High fructose corn syrup is used only as a sweetener in food and beverages.
Answer: HFCS is a popular ingredient for many manufacturers. Here are some of the ways it is used:
- As a liquid, it is easily incorporated into beverages and also stays in solution better— making a higher quality product.
- As a form of invert sugar, fructose combines with protein in the presence of heat to give browning—toasted bread is an example. Because it has a higher amount of fructose, HFCS provides better browning in baked products.
- Using HFCS instead of granular sugar helps lock in moisture in baked products. This extends shelf life by keeping the baked product fresher for a longer time period. This same moistness also gives cookies and snack bars a softer texture.
- Because it is a syrup (rather than granules), the fructose and glucose molecules do not form undesired crystals in candies and ice cream—giving those foods a smoother mouth feel and a more desirable product.
- HFCS contributes thickness, or viscosity, to condiments and salad dressings.
When I looked to Pepsi Co to see what their stance is on HFCS I found that they say, “HFCS and table sugar have the same calories and sweetness so the decision to use one or the other is based on a variety of other factors. For example, HFCS is an easier ingredient to work with because it is a liquid. It also costs less than table sugar which helps us keep the cost of our products down for consumers. However, since some consumers prefer beverages sweetened with table sugar, we give people choices in the different products we make.”
With all this information about HFCS, just remember that sugar is sugar and while eating candy on Valentine’s Day, moderation is the key!
If you have any other questions that I do not answer, please leave them in the comments section below and I’ll get back to as soon as I can! Thanks!
Find additional information about HFCS at SweetSurprise and SparkPeople.
Thanks for the good info, Sara!
– Kristie
You’re welcome!
I have trouble with the number of items which incorporate HFCS as an ingredient because I am highly allergic to corn and corn derivatives. I have had anaphylactic reactions to HFCS and other forms of corn. Corn’s pervasiveness in America’s food supply is a severe health issue for me. So I cannot sing HFCS’s praises.
I’m also deathly allergic to corn, and to the sulfites that are often used to process corn. My gosh, it is impossible to avoid corn/sulfite allergy reactions, when it is dumped into everything. Foods and food products, and non-food products, too. Even the fumes from something containing corn causes allergic reactions, asthma and very severe symptoms.
Thank you for your comments on this topic. I personally had never know of someone having a corn allergy. I did some research over the weekend and learned a lot of about it. I appreciate your concerns and the challenges that you have to go through on a daily basis. As a farmer our goal is to raise and produce a safe and healthy product for consumers. This blog post is about how HFCS is no better or worse than regular sugar. Moderation is key for the average consumer. Again, I understand your concerns due to your health issues, but my goal with this post was to inform consumers about high fructose corn syrup. Thanks again for your comments!
Corn’s presence is pervasive in our food supply and seemingly every facet of our daily lives. With a corn allergy, it’s nearly impossible to avoid these allergens that seem to be in everything!
Please don’t even try to tell us that corn is just as good as real food. It’s just not. Stop kidding yourself.
Thank you for your comment on this topic. As I said above, I have personally never know of someone having a corn allergy. I appreciate your concerns and the challenges that you have to go through on a daily basis. I’m not sure why you think that corn isn’t a real food. It’s been around for thousands of years. As farmers, it is our livelihood to raise and produce a safe and healthy crop year after year. This blog post was meant to inform consumers about HFCS and how our bodies treat it the same as regular table sugar. Again, thank you for your comments. I learned a lot about corn allergies and the restrictions that you all go through on a daily basis.
I learned so much from this post! Thank you for taking the time to put it together!
You’re welcome Katie! Let me know if you have any questions!