High Fructose Corn Syrup Sugar

HFCS (because you know I love to abbreviate) has come under major scrutiny in recent years, and has been singled out as a primary cause of the obesity epidemic.  Before I address the main point of the article, I need to confess a dirty little secret that would have me cast out of the cool nutrition clique before I could finish drinking a HFCS-laden soda...

I don't hate HFCS, not even a little bit.  

 I know, you are like "But FD, it causes obesity and is sooooooooo much worse than regular sugar."

The current research indicates that HFCS is metabolized no differently than table sugar.  

No really.  It's true.

As such, I can't bring myself to hate on something that so closely resembles sugar.  I will admit that it is difficult to take the Corn Refiners Association seriously when they continue to promote the notion that HFCS is natural when it requires fairly extensive processing (and their commercials are ridiculous, and prime candidates for parody). However, I cannot condemn HFCS and embrace sugar/honey/agave or any sweetener du jour.  Sugar, in any form, should be consumed in moderation, and it is ludicrous to think that drinking soda made with sugar is any more healthy that soda made with HFCS.  If you want to cut out added sweeteners, more power to you.  But let's not play the scapegoating game with HFCS...

Back to the topic at hand, HFCS corn sugar.  It would seem that the Corn Refiners Association is looking to shake up the image of HFCS by changing the name to corn sugar.  I can't say I blame them, since HFCS is like a four letter word these days.  More about corn sugar HERE and HERE.


Happy Friday!