High Fructose Corn Syrup
Sugar
Potentially Harmful
Added Sugar
May be Bioengineered
Details
Definition
A modified corn syrup that has an increased amount of fructose made from the enzymatic conversion of glucose.
AKAs
Corn Sugar,Isoglucose,HFCS
Health Impact
Over consumption of fructose in this form is a major cause of heart disease, obesity, cancer, dementia, liver failure, tooth decay, and other diseases. High fructose corn syrup increases the fat content in the liver which leads to many diseases. It also increases appetite and promotes obesity more than regular sugar.
Corn syrup that is not labeled as organic or non-GMO is likely sourced from GMO or bioengineered corn. Check for the warning "Contains a bioengineered ingredient" in the ingredients list to confirm.
Excessive added sugar intake is associated with adverse health conditions, including obesity, metabolic syndrome, and inflammatory diseases. Excessive sugar consumption may trigger neuroadaptations in the brain that decouple eating behavior from caloric needs and leads to compulsive overeating.
The American Heart Association suggests an added-sugar limit of no more than 24 grams of sugar for most women and no more than 36 grams of sugar for most men each day.
Sources
What Makes High Fructose Corn Syrup So Bad?
https://www.hartfordhospital.org/about-hh/news-center/news-detail?articleId=27851&publicid=461Avoid the Hidden Dangers of High Fructose Corn Syrup
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/avoid-the-hidden-dangers-of-high-fructose-corn-syrup-video/#:~:text=Increases%20appetite%2C%20promotes%20obesity&text=%E2%80%9CHigh%20fructose%20corn%20syrup%20also,affects%20over%2090%20million%20Americans.New Research Exposes the Health Risks of Fructose and Sugary Drinks
https://www.acc.org/About-ACC/Press-Releases/2015/09/28/14/11/New-Research-Exposes-the-Health-Risks-of-Fructose-and-Sugary-DrinksPress-ReleaseAdverse metabolic effects of dietary fructose: results from the recent epidemiological, clinical, and mechanistic studies
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23594708/The Effects of Fructose-Containing Sugars on Weight, Body Composition and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors When Consumed at up to the 90th Percentile Population Consumption Level for Fructose
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4145300/Added Sugar in the Diet
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/added-sugar-in-the-diet/#:~:text=The%20AHA%20suggests%20an%20added,of%20sugar)%20for%20most%20men.Impact of sugar on the body, brain, and behavior
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29772560/