How could high fructose corn syrup be bad for you?

Question

Isn't fructose, as its name implies, the kind of sugar found in fruit? As such, it seems innocuous. How, then, could it be the evil food additive that is destroying mankind, as so many fringe groups claim?

(I won't accept arguments that the fructose in HFC is somehow "different" than that in fruit. Fructose is fructose, C6H12O6.)

Answer 1

If you believe it's fine, the go ahead and eat it.  If you want to argue about it, then simply google HFCS and read the pros and cons.

If you live outside the USA, don't worry about it-- it's been banned almost everywhere in the world except the USA. Wonder why?

Answer 2

rather you believe it or not it is so it is in everything ..I have kidney stones the minute i eat something with corn syrup I form stones and go thru days of h**l...it makes you fat, cancer feeds off of it, there are several things you can use to repalce sugar and corn syrup these pages tell you about the helathies fruits and superfoods and the second page will give you alternatives to sugar and cornsyrup...get healthy , loss weight.stay fit..heres to well being

peaceful-organic-planet dot com/healthy-food.html

peaceful-organic-planet dot com/recipes.html

Answer 3

It raises insulin levels and stores fat after awhile it destroys the pancreas.  A pharmacist from the 1920's knew this and told the food industry but they shut him up and put it in  away. i forgot his name but look it up. corn syrup is bad.

Answer 4

well it will be hard to persuade you since you already seem to have made up your mind about it. but high fructose corn syrup is a highly refined, highly concentrated form of the sugar that occurs naturally in fruits and vegetables. fructose is refined and concentrated by adding a genetically modified enzyme. which may be where the 'bad for you' moniker comes from. it is much cheaper than cane sugar and is linked to obesity and diabetes but only due to its increased consumption.

i think the big thing is that HFC is in almost EVERY processed food product there is. and the fact that americans increasingly rely on processed foods that happen to contain HFC over fresh made foods is one of the reasons HFC gets such a bad rap.

it doesn't seem to be any worse for you than regular sugar. if you're consuming moderate amounts. but the fact that it contains GMO's does not help its case. and personally, cane sugar just tastes way better.

Answer 5

"The body processes the fructose in high fructose corn syrup differently than it does old-fashioned cane or beet sugar, which in turn alters the way metabolic-regulating hormones function. It also forces the liver to kick more fat out into the bloodstream.

The end result is that our bodies are essentially tricked into wanting to eat more and at the same time, we are storing more fat. "

I will add that fructose as it is naturally occurring in fruit is harmless when you eat the fruit or even in small amounts in granules.  

The way its manufactured into syrup from corn is un-natural and we also overdose almost every time we ingest it.  It is also combined with glucose.  That combination isn't normal.

The body doesn't really recognize this corn syrup as natural and therefor metabolizes it in a way that is not healthy causing us to gain weight, etc.

Answer 6

The real argument is that HFCS has probably the highest glycemic factor of any food (because it is not bound up with sucrose as is sugar), which makes it very bad for everyone and especially diabetics or those who are pre-diabetic.  It is the equivalent of mainlining instead of eating sugar.  Even whole unadulterated corn has a fairly high glycemic index.

Fruits that contain fructose also contain co-nutrients and fiber that slow down the glycemic factor a great deal, which is why the whole fruit is better for you.  HFCS contains no lysine, as the manufacturers use it as a by-product to include in cheap vitamins.  

It's not a food additive, it is a highly processed product made with genetically modified co-factors, and we just don't know what the ultimate problems are.  Why take the chance?  The use of HFCS only profits corn growers, a hugely powerful lobby in Washington.

Answer 7

The Original Question was "How could high fructose corn syrup be bad for you?"  The keyword is HIGH FRUCTOSE.  Too much of anything is bad for you.  People have died having too much water to drink, because it dehydrates you of your electrolytes if you keep urinating without adding salt and sugar into your system.

I have a history of diabetes in my family and I have hypoglycemia (regardless of what others may say it is a form of diabetes).  High Fructose corn syrup as well as other forms of sugar raises the insulin levels.  Too much insulin can cause blurry-eyes/blindness, slurred speech, disorientation/dizziness, shakiness, confusion, and even seizures...and worse, DEATH.  

If you have gestational diabetes (I had this when I was pregnant), it can cause everything I added above, including edema, excessive weight gain, excessive urination/UTI, vaginal infections and an overweight baby.

As long as there is enough protein in the diet, enough exercise, and low fat foods in the diet, having little sugar is okay.

Answer 8

HFCS doesn't come from fruit, it comes from CORN.  Genetically modified corn.  

It is highly processed and chemically altered to render the product shelf stable.  Two of the enzymes used, alpha-amylase and glucose-isomerase, are also genetically modified to make them more stable.

Believe what you wish, but HFCS has little in common with anything found in nature.