Over the past years, you may have heard a lot of talk about high fructose corn syrup. It’s not uncommon for someone to check the ingredients of a food or drink to make sure high fructose corn syrup isn’t listed. So, should you be concerned about high fructose corn syrup, or are you just being plain paranoid? Yes, high fructose corn syrup is something to be concerned about, but here is the interesting part.

Did you know that high fructose corn syrup is no worse for you than actual sugar? It’s true!! High fructose corn syrup was actually created to mimic sucrose, better known as sugar. If you look at the composition of high fructose corn syrup, it’s almost identical to sugar. Upon further research, high fructose corn syrup and sugar have very similar effects when it comes to hormones and blood levels of insulin. So, why is this information important to know?

We shouldn’t just be checking the ingredients for high fructose corn syrup. We should be checking the ingredients for sugar in general. Sugar has its place in the diet, but unfortunately most people abuse this ingredient. Did you know that consuming large amounts of sugar can lead to a greater risk of fatty liver disease, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes? It’s all true!

Next time you take a look at a food or drink label, don’t automatically assume that high fructose corn syrup is the only danger. Sugar can be put in the exact same category as high fructose corn syrup. Just remember to always consume sugar or high fructose corn syrup in moderation. Don’t take it out of your diet completely, but realize that foods with sugar and high fructose corn syrup are a treat and not meant to be abused.

-Tom