We’ve all heard about how bad high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is as a sweetener. You’ve probably also seen the commercials talking about how it isn’t any worse than other sweeteners when used “in moderation.” So who should we believe?
Check out this great article from Science-Based Medicine called “High Fructose Corn Syrup: Tasty Toxin or Slandered Sweetener for an in-depth look at HFCS.
There are a ton of interesting facts about high fructose corn syrup as well as other sweeteners deemed to be healthier alternatives. Many people believe honey and agave syrup to be healthier only for the simple fact that they are “natural” but when you look at the facts, neither of them are any better.
In fact, all sweeteners that contain fructose can be unhealthy and all of them that do; agave syrup, HFCS, cane sugar, honey, and fruit juices – cause, or at least contribute to obesity, insulin resistance, high levels of fat in the blood and even cardiac disease. I definitely suggest reading the article to learn more.
The message to take home here is, limit the amount of added sugars you take into your body and eat everything in moderation. High fructose corn syrup doesn’t seem to be any worse than the other sweeteners, but as with the other sweeteners, try to find foods that don’t have it as an ingredient. You don’t need it in your bread or ketchup do you?
image courtesy of David Morris