Experts Respond - General Information on High Fructose Corn Syrup

What is high fructose corn syrup?

According to the American Dietetic Association, "High fructose corn syrup may be used as a sweetener in processed foods and beverages and is nutritionally equivalent to sucrose. Both sweeteners contain the same number of calories (4 per gram) and consist of about equal parts of fructose and glucose. Once absorbed into the blood stream, the two sweeteners are indistinguishable." (Hot Topics, “High Fructose Corn Syrup.” December 2008.)

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration noted that “the saccharide composition (glucose to fructose ratio) of HFCS is approximately the same as that of honey, invert sugar and the disaccharide sucrose [table sugar].” (61 Fed. Reg. 43447 (August 23, 1996), 21 C.F.R. 184.1866. Direct food substances affirmed as Generally Recognized as Safe; High Fructose Corn Syrup - Final Rule.)

According to John S. White, Ph.D., caloric sweetener expert and president, White Technical Research, “high fructose corn syrup is a fructose-glucose liquid sweetener alternative to sucrose (common table sugar) first introduced to the food and beverage industry in the 1970s. It is not meaningfully different in composition or metabolism from other fructose-glucose sweeteners like sucrose, honey and fruit juice concentrates.” (White JS. December 2008. Straight talk about high-fructose corn syrup: what it is and what it ain’t. Am J Clin Nutr 88(suppl):1716S-1721S.)

Is high fructose corn syrup sweeter than sugar?

“A common misconception about HFCS is that it is sweeter than sucrose and that this increased sweetness contributed to the obesity crisis by encouraging excessive caloric food and beverage consumption,” wrote John S. White, Ph.D., caloric sweetener expert and president, White Technical Research. “HFCS is not sweeter than sucrose.” (White JS. December 2008. Straight talk about high-fructose corn syrup: what it is and what it ain’t. Am J Clin Nutr 88(suppl):1716S-1721S.)