High-fructose corn syrup, or HFCS, is a liquid sweetener made from corn. It's called "high-fructose" because it has more fructose (a kind of simple sugar) than regular corn syrup, which is entirely glucose (another simple sugar).
Food manufacturers started using HFCS in place of other sweeteners in the 1970s. Today, it's in many foods and drinks but not as many as in decades past.
That's partly because consumers have reacted to health concerns raised by some researchers. Those concerns center on the unproven idea that HFCS might be worse for your health than sugar and other added sweeteners. Higher corn prices have played a role, too. Some large companies have removed high-fructose corn syrup from their products.
High-Fructose Corn Syrup vs. Sugar
High-fructose corn syrup and table sugar (the kind made from sugar cane and sugar beets) contain the same simple sugars in slightly different amounts, says Julie Stefanski, a registered dietitian in Baltimore and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Table sugar is also known as sucrose. A molecule of sucrose is made up of equal parts fructose and glucose that are chemically bonded together. So, sugar is always 50% fructose and 50% glucose. Honey is similar.
The high-fructose corn syrup used in most foods and drinks is a mix of glucose, water, and either 42% or 55% fructose. So, it can be slightly higher or slightly lower in fructose than sugar. The fructose and glucose molecules aren't bonded together.
Whether those differences affect your health is a matter of debate. The debate is driven in part by questions about whether fructose is a bigger contributor to obesity and other health problems than glucose is, Stefanski says.
Compared to sugar, high-fructose corn syrup:
- Has the same amount of calories
- Is cheaper
- Can increase shelf life
- Can improve flavor, texture, and color in some processed foods
High-fructose corn syrup, table sugar, honey, syrup, and other sweeteners are all considered "added sugars" — meaning they aren't the natural sugars you get when you eat a piece of fruit or drink a glass of milk. Nutrition experts are generally less concerned about those sugars because they come with additional nutrients, while added sugars only add calories.
Some sweeteners contain even more fructose than the most concentrated form of HFCS. For example, some agave nectars contain up to 90% fructose and 10% glucose.
How Is High-Fructose Corn Syrup Made?
High-fructose corn syrup starts with corn starch, a white powder made from corn kernels. Food makers use the corn starch to make corn syrup, a liquid sweetener that is all glucose. Then they add some enzymes to turn some of the glucose into fructose. They can vary the amount of fructose, depending on how they want to use the syrup.
Foods With High-Fructose Corn Syrup
Americans take in an average of about 39 pounds of high-fructose corn syrup each year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Although that's lower than the peak of nearly 66 pounds, HFCS is still found in many foods and drinks.
The high-fructose corn syrup with the most fructose, 55%, is mostly found in:
- Soda and other sugary drinks
- Ice cream
- Desserts
HFCS with 42% fructose is mostly found in:
- Baked goods, such as cookies and crackers
- Canned fruits
- Condiments, such as ketchup and barbeque sauce
- Dairy foods, such as sweetened yogurts
High-Fructose Corn Syrup vs. Corn Syrup
High-fructose corn syrup is made from regular corn syrup. The difference is that the high-fructose version has gone through some additional processing. The processing replaces some of the glucose in the corn syrup with fructose.
You can buy regular corn syrup in the grocery store. Some cooks like to use it in pecan pies and other desserts. High-fructose corn syrup, on the other hand, isn't typically used in home cooking.
Is High-Fructose Corn Syrup Bad For You?
Eating too much added sugar, in any form, is linked to health problems such as:
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Fatty liver disease
- Heart disease
- Some forms of cancer
- Tooth decay
Some researchers suggest that high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) may play a bigger role in certain health problems than sugar or other sweeteners. Others argue that it's no worse than sugar.
Many experts worry about HFCS because research links fructose to fat buildup in the liver. This buildup can lead to fatty liver disease and raise the risk of heart disease and diabetes.
Some studies show that countries using a lot of HFCS have higher rates of diabetes than countries that use less. Still, this type of research does not prove that HFCS directly causes diabetes.
Some scientists also see a possible link to obesity. The sharp rise in HFCS use from the 1970s to the early 2000s happened as Americans gained more weight, Stefanski says.
Few studies in humans compare the health effects of sugar and HFCS. Most studies that do exist run for only a short time.
In one University of California, Davis (UC Davis) study, volunteers drank three beverages a day with either sugar, HFCS, or aspartame. After 16 days, those who consumed sugar or HFCS showed similar increases in liver fat and lower insulin sensitivity, which can raise the risk for type 2 diabetes.
A review of four studies looked at people who ate diets high in sugar or HFCS for 2-12 weeks. It found no clear differences in weight gain, cholesterol, or blood pressure, though some studies showed higher levels of a protein linked to inflammation in people consuming HFCS.
The main message, Stefanski says, is that eating too much sugar in any form can lead to diabetes and other health problems. She adds that obesity is a complex condition with many causes, including limited access to fresh food, low physical activity, extra calories from other sources, and the mix of bacteria in the gut.
How to Cut Down on High-Fructose Corn Syrup
One way to cut down on high-fructose corn syrup would be to read labels on sweetened foods and choose only those containing other sweeteners. You might, for instance, find that your favorite soda flavor comes sweetened with either HFCS or cane sugar and choose the one made with cane sugar.
But that would miss the point often made by nutrition experts: You'll get the most health benefits by limiting all added sugars in your diet.
"While you can choose a product made with other forms of sugar, the most important step to take is to limit the portions you consume and how often you include added sugar in your day," Stefanski says. One reason HFCS might be linked with obesity, she says, is that it's in products people tend to eat or drink in large amounts.
Americans now get about 15% of their total daily calories, or 360 calories a day, from added sugars.
U.S dietary guidelines say adults and children over age 2 should aim for no more than 10% of calories from added sugar. That's 50 grams, or about 12 teaspoons, of sugar for someone eating 2,000 calories a day. The guidelines recommend no sweetened foods or drinks for children under age 2.
The American Heart Association recommends even less added sugar. It says that women should get no more than 100 calories (6 teaspoons) of added sugar and men no more than 150 calories (9 teaspoons) of added sugar per day. A typical 12-ounce soda has 10 teaspoons of sugar.
"Unfortunately, 6 teaspoons are very easy to exceed," Stefanski says.
To cut down on high-fructose corn syrup and other added sugars:
- Read ingredient and nutrition facts labels, which list added sugars. Sweeteners may be in more processed foods than you think, including sauces, condiments, protein bars, peanut butter, and flavored coffee creamers.
- Cut down on sodas, sweet teas, and other sweetened drinks. Drink water instead. Add berries, lemon, lime, or cucumber if you need more flavor.
- Make your own coffee by adding a teaspoon of sugar or less.
- Have plain oatmeal or plain yogurt with fruit instead of sweetened cereal for breakfast.
- Snack on whole foods such as nuts and fruits instead of cookies and candy.
- Go with homemade baked goods instead of store-bought ones.
Takeaways
High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a common part of the American diet, found as an added sweetener in products ranging from sodas to ketchup. Like other added sugars, HFCS can lead to obesity, diabetes, fatty liver disease, and other health problems. Whether it's a bigger health threat than other sweeteners remains a matter of debate, but nutrition experts say you'll do your health the most good by limiting all added sugars.
High-Fructose Corn Syrup FAQs
Which is worse, sugar or high-fructose corn syrup?
While some researchers have raised the possibility that high-fructose corn syrup might be worse for your health than sugar, that idea remains unproven. When compared head-to-head in short human studies, sugar and high-fructose corn syrup often have similar effects on the body.
What is another name for high-fructose corn syrup?
You might see high-fructose corn syrup shortened to HFCS. You might also see it listed as glucose-fructose syrup, high-fructose maize syrup, or isoglucose.
Which soda has no high-fructose corn syrup?
Many sodas and other sweetened beverages are available without high-fructose corn syrup. These include sodas made with cane sugar, as well as sodas with artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame. Those are often called "diet" sodas, which can help you consume fewer calories — if you don't end up making up for them elsewhere in your diet.
