HFCS not the same as table sugar

The Corn Refiners Association (and others) would have you believe that High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is essentially the same as table sugar (sucrose) and that your body processes them the same way. The research has been mixed on the subject, with some studies indicating that HFCS contributes to obesity and others not. In the absence of strong evidence, my stance on HFCS is that its presence on a food label indicates a highly-processed food that you shouldn't be eating anyway. That said, sugar in any form in the first few ingredients of a food should caution you away from eating it as well.

A just-released article in the journal Metabolism (doi:10.1016/j.metabol.2011.09.013) approaches the question acutely, measuring the reactions of 40 healthy men and women to drinking equal amounts of soft drinks sweetened with either High Fructose Corn Syrup or sucrose.

The men and women recruited for the study were between 18 and 52 and had no history of hypoglycemia, gout, kidney or liver dysfunction, diabetes, or high blood glucose levels. On two occasions the participants visited the research lab and were given 24 ounces of either regular Dr. Pepper, sweetened with HFCS, or the sucrose-sweetened Dr. Pepper (called "Heritage Dr. Pepper" and marketed as "sweetened with real sugar"). Before having the soft drinks the researchers tested their blood pressure and heart rate, then their blood was drawn as a baseline sample.

After drinking the soft drinks their blood pressure, heart rate and additional blood samples were taken at 15 minutes, 30, 60 and 90 minutes and an additional four times up to 6 hours, at which time the study period ended. Any urine passed during the test period was also collected. The researchers were then able to chart various chemical reactions in the body over time.

What they discovered is very interesting and potentially concerning. When the researchers took into consideration the different levels of fructose and glucose in the HFCS versus the sucrose (which must be broken down by the body into fructose and glucose), blood glucose levels were significantly higher when the participants drank the HFCS-containing soft drink than when they drank the sucrose-sweetened soft drink. Systolic blood pressures (the top number of the blood pressure measurement) were also higher in those who drank the HFCS-sweetened beverage. Gout sufferers should especially note that when they drank the HFCS-sweetened beverage, the participants' serum uric acid levels were also significantly higher.

What this means for you

The researchers note that the participants in this study were all fairly young and healthy and noted that "their responses may have been less dramatic than older individuals" or those who are more at risk of metabolic problems, such as those with diabetes or metabolic syndrome. They also note that their study only looks at the immediate effects of drinking the HFCS-sweetened beverage, questioning the long-term effects of drinking large amounts of these beverages regularly, as do so many Americans. For me, the take-home message remains the same: if it contains High Fructose Corn Syrup, put it back on the shelf.

First posted: February 8, 2012