High Fructose Corn Syrup: All Natural Born In A Lab

Posted by Brian Watkins on Mar 29th, 2011 in Latest News | 2 comments

You may have seen the commercials defending high fructose corn syrup, boasting how it is an all-natural ingredient made from corn. How could it be bad in moderation when it comes from a plant?

The truth is that until 1957 high fructose corn syrup didn’t exist. Through use of enzymes, scientists discovered how to convert glucose to fructose, which takes something mildly sweet and makes it into something extremely sweet. Yes, you read it right: convert. There is hardly anything “all-natural” about the molecular transformation of what used to be plant syrup. (Anrig)

“The two standard high-fructose corn syrups sold today are 42 percent or 55 percent, meaning that 42 percent or 55 percent of the glucose has been chemically altered. The most commonly used in commercial production today is 42 percent and measures about 120 on the sweetness scale.” (Anrig)

Health Concerns Of High Fructose Corn Syrup

High fructose corn syrup is created by chemically altering the molecular structure of corn syrup, and as such is not a natural food item. Our bodies therefore cannot digest it as a natural food.

Normally, carbohydrates like glucose, sucrose, and (unaltered) fructose cause our pancreas to create insulin. Among other things, this tells our brain that we’re full. High fructose corn syrup is not absorbed properly into the pancreas, and instead goes straight into the liver. Treated as a chemical by the body, it ends up becoming fat. (Anrig)

Mercury

In a study done on 55 products that list high fructose corn syrup as one of the top ingredients, researchers discovered easily detectable levels of mercury in 17 of them – roughly 31%. (Anrig)

Type-2 Diabetes

Over the years scientists have linked consumption of HFCS to a highly increased likelihood of developing Type-2 Diabetes. (Group)

Liver Damage

Long term, consumption of HFCS can contribute to liver damage. “Combined with a sedentary lifestyle, permanent liver scarring can occur. This greatly diminishes the organ’s ability to process out toxins and, over time, can lead to an expansive range of other negative health concerns.” (Group)

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Resources:

Anrig, Claudia. “The Debate Over the Safety of High-Fructose Corn Syrup.” Dynamic Chiropractic. N.p., 16 12 2010. Web. 29 Mar 2011. <http://www.dynamicchiropractic.com/mpacms/dc/article.php?id=55073>.

Group, Dr. Edward. “5 Health Dangers of High Fructose Corn Syrup.” Global Healing Center. N.p., 08 07 2010. Web. 29 Mar 2011. <

Bursting the Diet Soda Bubble

Mary W.

Doesn’t sound very good for you, kinda hits a couple areas that concern me. We all consume way too much sweet stuff these days without adding to it.

Interesting subject.
Chris P.

We have enzymes in our livers that convert fructose to glucose, which is a simple sugar that our bodies use to fuel cells. Our bodies actually can digest fructose. Fructose is found in many sources, such as in table sugar and in fruits.

“Convert” is not a bad word. Without enzymatic conversion of sugars in our bodies, we would be in serious trouble (i.e. dead). Carbohydrates are sources of energy that when converted to molecules such as ATP drive cellular processes.

Furthermore, glucose or fructose or whatever carbohydrate you’re examining will have the same chemical structure no matter the source. A plant-produced molecule of fructose or a molecule of fructose produced by enzymatic conversion of glucose in a lab–they’re the same thing. They both have the structural formula C6H12O6. Carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen are the same everywhere. There is no such thing as a “natural” carbon and a “non-natural” carbon. Atoms are not created in labs. So there’s no such thing as a “natural” fructose and a “non-natural” fructose.

I avoid HFCS like the plague, simply because it’s added sugars. I also avoid other added sugars. You’re at risk of developing diabetes from overconsumption of added “natural” sugars all the same.

High Fructose Corn Syrup: All Natural Born In A Lab

Health Concerns Of High Fructose Corn Syrup

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