High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is the most frequently used substitute for sugar used in food and beverage products such as breads, cereals, soft drinks and juices. Since the domestic price of sucrose in the United States is higher than in other countries and corn production is subsidized by the government, food manufacturers find it more cost effective to use HFCS as a sweetener.
The process of making high fructose corn syrup starts with corn starch. This is then converted into syrup which is almost completely composed of glucose. Through the action of certain enzymes, some of the glucose is turned into fructose. This stage usually involves fermentation via microorganisms.
There are various levels of fructose concentration that can be achieved. “HFCS 42” for example means that the resulting syrup is 42% fructose with the rest being made up of glucose and water. This can be further processed to come up with HFCS 90.
Just like most highly refined carbohydrates, high fructose corn syrup provides nothing else other than empty calories.
Keep reading to learn about the negative effects of high fructose corn syrup and to understand why the Superhuman Food Pyramid recommends that you avoid it.
High Fructose Corn Syrup Health Risks
Research regarding the effects of high fructose corn syrup on human health has so far not conclusively shown whether it’s safer or worse than regular sugar. One can say that the two sweeteners are basically similar as sucrose is composed of glucose and fructose. While not safer or worse, you can expect the same health risks from consuming too much HFCS as with processed sugar.
There is also the apparent problem with those who have fructose intolerance. There are actually two kinds. Fructose malabsorption is the one where the digestive system has difficulty handling this type of sugar. The more dangerous disorder is hereditary fructose intolerance wherein the body lacks the ability to produce the enzyme that breaks down fructose. The hereditary kind leads to kidney and liver damage.
Sodas and commercial juice drinks are among the various manufactured food products that are consistently sweetened with high fructose corn syrup. In studies that looked into the link between sugar and diabetes and hyperactivity, it is usually such beverages that are pointed out. If you want to avoid such health problems as well as abnormal weight gain, cardiovascular diseases, and dental caries, this is the one type of product you need to completely avoid.
Finally, recent studies have also found that certain HFCS containing food and beverage products are contaminated with mercury which is a known neurotoxin. According to the reports, some manufacturers still use mercury cells to produce the caustic soda reagent necessary in making high fructose corn syrup.
More often than not, the other ingredients of the commercial food products in which HFCS is used does not add any nutritional value. There’s nothing wrong with carbohydrates in general but why settle for such a monotonous source when there are other available natural foods that offer carbs along with vitamins and minerals?
In the next post, I’ll tell you about the negative effects of regular honey and why you should avoid it to succeed in your quest to Become Superhuman.
In the meantime, if you care to jump ahead, here is a complete listing of the herbs, spices and sweeteners on Superhuman Food Pyramid:
Eat
• Cinnamon
• Cloves
• Stevia
• Xylitol
• Maltitol
• Turmeric
• Curry
• Cumin
• Fennel
• Garlic
• Ginger
Moderate
• Sucanat
• Truvia
Avoid
• Candy
• MSG
If you have questions, comments or feedback about the negative effects of high fructose corn syrup, the Superhuman Food Pyramid, this website, or other aspects of Becoming Superhuman, then leave your thoughts below, as well as any tips you have on the negative effects of high fructose corn syrup.
Author Bio: Ben Greenfield
His credentials include:
Bachelor’s and master’s degrees from University of Idaho in sports science and exercise physiology
Personal training and strength and conditioning certifications from the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)
Sports nutrition certification from the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN)
Advanced bicycle fitting certification from Serotta, the “Harvard” of bicycle fitting schools
Over 10 years experience in coaching professional, collegiate, and recreational athletes from all sports
Ben hosts the highly popular fitness, nutrition and wellness website at http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com, which features blogs, podcasts, and product reviews from Ben. He is a frequent contributor to Triathlete magazine and LAVA magazine, Endurance Planet (http://www.enduranceplanet.com), the outdoor sports magazine OutThere Monthly and has been featured in WebMD, the Spokesman-Review, Inlander magazine, In-Health magazine, Fit-Pro magazine, PTontheNet, Prevention magazine, Women’s Running magazine, and Inside Triathlon magazine.
As a public speaker on fitness, nutrition, and training, Ben hosts one of the top ranked fitness podcasts in iTunes, the Get-Fit Guy (http://www.GetFitGuy.com), and has been a keynote lecturer at the Hawaii Ironman World Championships Medical Conference, the Coeur D’ Alene Ironman Medical Conference, USAT Art & Science of Coaching Symposium, Can-Fit-Pro Conference, Pilgrim’s Wellness Center Education Series, Fleet Feet Sports Endurance Sports Clinic and REI Nutrition Clinic. He sits on the board of directors for Tri-Fusion triathlon team, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and is the official coach for the YoungTri. As a triathlon coach and competitor, Ben competes at Ironman and Half-Ironman World Championships, holds a ranking as of USAT’s top ranked age grouper triathletes, and competes in 15-20 triathlons each year, both nationally and internationally.
