Researchers from the University of Southern California decided to test actual brand-name sodas — including Coke, Pepsi, and Sprite — to confirm their exact sugar content and makeup. They found that the HFCS in the vast majority contained far more than the presumed 55 percent fructose: in the case of those three brands, it was actually 65 percent fructose. -grist.org
MY COMMENT: Just one more reason to eliminate soda!
High-fructose corn syrup, a sweetener used in soft drinks and many other products, isn’t more likely than sucrose, commonly called table sugar, to promote weight gain, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the Obesity Society. -webmd.com
The study was supported by the Corn Refiners Association, a trade organization representing corn refiners who make high-fructose corn syrup and other products.
MY COMMENT: Might be true, however this study has bias written all over it.
This goes back to earlier speculation that HFCS consumption is somehow is linked to obesity. Researchers then backpedaled on the idea, so I am curious where this will lead. Regardless, watch your intake of HFCS!
Fructose intake was calculated based on a dietary questionnaire, and foods such as fruit juices, soft drinks, bakery products, and candy were included. Dr. Jalal’s team found that people who ate or drank more than 74 grams per day of fructose (2.5 sugary soft drinks per day) increased their risk of developing hypertension. -medicalnewstoday
MY COMMENT: I know- I just posted a study that indicated high fructose corn syrup might not be so bad- however this study provides evidence to the contrary- at least in terms of hypertension. 74 grams is close to 2 x 12 ounce sodas.
There are three different types of HFCS – one that is 55 percent fructose and 42 percent glucose (most commonly found in soft drinks), one that is 42 percent fructose and 58 percent glucose (usually used in food products), and one used for specialty applications that is 90 percent fructose and 10 percent glucose.
Pure fructose on its own – not HFCS – has been linked to weight gain in some animal studies, and this could be where some confusion arises, but Erickson and other industry members have repeatedly pointed out that the HFCS used in foods and beverages is not dissimilar in its makeup to sugar (sucrose), which contains 50 percent glucose and 50 percent fructose. Therefore, compared to sugar, the HFCS commonly found in foods is actually low-fructose, she said.
MY COMMENT: Very enlightening! The bottom line is, no matter what the percentages are, we still consume too.
According to the Corn Refiner’s Association, early speculation by researchers on the evils of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS)was based on an incorrect assumption. The studies that found potential for weight gain due to differences in the metabolism of HFCS compared to other sugars were using plain fructose. High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a compound containing about 55% fructose and 45% glucose, not much different than plain table sugar.
So HFCS may be getting a bad rap-unless of course you consider new information that discovered alarming levels of mercury in almost half of samples tested!
The bottom line is we take in way too much high fructose corn syrup, and soft drinks are a major culprit.
The process is not so simple with fructose, he noted. “In order for fructose to be metabolized, the body has to create both fasted and fed conditions. The liver is really busy when you eat a lot of fructose.” sciencedaily.com
MY COMMENT: Confusion surrounds the effect of fructose on weight gain.
Our study shows for the first time the surprising speed with which humans make body fat from fructose,” Dr. Parks said. Fructose, glucose and sucrose, which is a mixture of fructose and glucose, are all forms of sugar but are metabolized differently. medicalnewstoday.com
MY COMMENT: HFCS was introduced into the American diet in the early 70s as a cheap alternative to sugar. The debate on whether or not it has contributed to the obesity problem in America continues to rage on.
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