High-Fructose Corn Syrup

[mousme]

Several of my friends have gone on household-jihad against High-Fructose Corn Syrup.

Can anyone explain to me why this is the new Antichrist? What's the deal, here?

Thanks!

:::Edited to fix a nomenclature malfunction:::

Comments

[ajpursell]

It's super-condensed sugar, and according to some studies linked to obesity.

[caitlin]

Umm... do you mean High Fructose Corn Syrup?

If that's the case, then, it's bad for you and linked to obesity and such.

(I've not heard of High Glucose Corn Syrup before)

C.

[caitlin]

Also, according to the Wikipedia article on it, Corn syrup IS 100% glucose... and the fructose has been processed in.

C.

[mousme]

I had a Nomenclature Malfunction. 'Tis fixed now. :)

[curtana]

I recommend this Junk Food Science article on high-fructose corn syrup for some useful debunking - they're pretty good for most sorts of food-related debunking, actually.

[mousme]

Good stuff! Thanks for the link. :)

[ajpursell]

always check your sources

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Sandy_Szwarc

[mousme]

Oy vey. It's moments like these that make me hate the internet. :P

[merccom]

they say that your stomach cant actually detect it so if you drink a whole bottle of corn syrup you'll still be hungry because your body isnt able to recognize it even though you just consumed a bajillion calories.

[cpirate]

I don't know about corn syrup in particular, but this is generally true of liquids. We just didn't evolve with much around in the way of liquids that contain calories, so it's not on our brain's radar screen. High-fructose corn syrup being evil or not, jazzing up your drinks with tons of calories will always be a bad idea.

[merccom]

artifical sweetners are the antix also supposedly. i know what the claim is i need to look up the truth.

[dizietsma]

Aspartame is linked to formaldehyde poisoning, claims are disputed of course but evidence leans to it being pretty nasty to at least a small number of people.

It's also claimed that it stimulates appetite, which is a pretty ridiculous thing for a sugar substitute to be doing if it's true.