CUTTING BACK IS HARD BECAUSE IT’S IN SO MANY PRODUCTS
Slim.” ● ew ingredients are included in as many foods as corn syrup. It’s what gives soft drinks, condiments, baked goods, fast food, breakfast cereals, canned foods, yogurts and countless varieties of candy their sweetness. ● It’s “a very common ingredient because it is inexpensive and helps enhance food flavor and texture,” says Lisa Young, PhD, RDN, an adjunct professor of nutrition at New York University and author of “Finally Full, Finally Corn syrup is also popular because it extends the shelf life of products by controlling microbial growth.
What is corn syrup?
Corn syrup is a liquid sweetener that is derived from cornstarch and contains varying amounts of glucose and fructose. It comes in various forms, but the two main ones are regular corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup.
The regular variety, the one most people cook with at home, comes in both light and dark forms. “The light form has a vanilla flavor and a nearly clear color, and the dark form is a brown color and is a combination of corn syrup, inverted sugar syrup, caramel color and a molasses flavor,” explains Jen Messer, a registered dietitian at Jen Messer Nutrition.
The high fructose variety of corn syrup, the one used in most packaged and processed foods, “has undergone more processing than regular corn syrup to increase its fructose content,” says Young. The high-fructose variety, which is 55% fructose and 42% glucose, isn’t all that different from table sugar, which is 50% fructose and 50% glucose.
But while regular corn syrup has less fructose than high-fructose corn syrup, “one corn syrup is not ‘healthier’ than the other,” cautions Messer.
Is corn syrup bad for you?
Indeed, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration notes that overconsumption of either variety of corn syrup can be harmful to health. Each variety has been linked to heart disease and type 2 diabetes, “and studies show that corn syrup increases appetite, thus promoting obesity,” says Young. Obesity is associated with high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol levels, heart attack, stroke and higher risk of early death.
Corn syrup contains a lot of sugar: 16 grams in a single tablespoon of regular corn syrup, and 57 calories. What’s more, “any ex“It’s cess fructose in corn syrup that is not immediately used for energy or stored as glycogen can then be converted into fat storage,” says Messer.
“There is also evidence to suggest that the excess fructose or sucrose (glucose + fructose) in high fructose corn syrup can have negative effects on the liver, increase triglycerides, and possibly increase risk of inflammatory-related conditions,” adds Kate Zeratsky, a registered dietitian at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
Is corn syrup OK in moderation?
So, it’s important to limit the amount of corn syrup or high fructose corn syrup that’s included in one’s daily diet. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends limiting all added sugars, including high fructose corn syrup, to no more than 50 grams a day. “This recommendation is fully supported by the FDA and all other health organizations,” says Messer.
That means some added sugars in one’s diet are OK. “It’s the excess that is the problem,” says Zeratsky. But consumers need to be aware of how fast added sugars add up. For instance, after carbonated water, the top ingredient in a can of Coca-Cola is high fructose corn syrup, and a single 12-ounce can has 39 grams of sugar – nearly 80% of the recommended limit for an entire day.
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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration notes that overconsumption of corn syrup can be harmful to health.
a challenge that added sugars are in so many food products,” says Messer, “which is why it’s important to read food labels and identify items containing high levels of any added sugar, including high fructose corn syrup.”
The experts also recommend cutting down on candies and sodas, and sticking to homemade baked goods instead of storebought ones to limit overconsumption of high fructose corn syrup and other added sugars.
“For most people, consuming corn syrup in small amounts as part of a well-balanced diet is generally considered safe,” says Messer. “But keep in mind that your overall diet, lifestyle and other factors play a significant role in determining health outcomes.”