High Fructose Corn Syrup
Sugar
Potentially Harmful
Details
Definition
A modified corn syrup that has an increased amount of fructose made from the enzymatic conversion of glucose.
AKAs
Corn Sugar
Health Impact
Over consumption of fructose in this form is a major cause of heart disease, obesity, cancer, dementia, liver failure, tooth decay, and other diseases.
Excessive added sugar intake is associated with adverse health conditions, including obesity, metabolic syndrome, and inflammatory diseases. Excessive sugar consumption may trigger neuroadaptations in the brain that decouple eating behavior from caloric needs and leads to compulsive overeating.
The American Heart Association suggests an added-sugar limit of no more than 24 grams of sugar for most women and no more than 36 grams of sugar for most men each day.
Sources
Sucrose-sweetened beverages increase fat storage in the liver, muscle, and visceral fat depot: a 6-mo randomized intervention study
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22205311/Adverse metabolic effects of dietary fructose: results from the recent epidemiological, clinical, and mechanistic studies
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23594708/Consuming fructose-sweetened, not glucose-sweetened, beverages increases visceral adiposity and lipids and decreases insulin sensitivity in overweight/obese humans
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19381015/Fructose, insulin resistance, and metabolic dyslipidemia
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15723702/Added Sugar in the Diet
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/added-sugar-in-the-diet/#:~:text=The%20AHA%20suggests%20an%20added,of%20sugar)%20for%20most%20men.Impact of sugar on the body, brain, and behavior
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29772560/high-fructose corn syrup
https://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/high%20fructose%20corn%20syrup