Q&A: High-fructose corn syrup vs. white sugar[SIZE=-1]Is high-fructose corn syrup better or worse for you than regular white sugar? ?S.H., Nipomo,Calif.
Probably neither. The two sweeteners are almost identical chemically, both about half fructose and half glucose. Manufacturers began substituting high-fructose corn syrup for white sugar in the 1970s, mainly in beverages and processed sweets, because it costs less and helps extend a product's shelf life. While high-fructose corn syrup has been implicated in a rise in type 2 diabetes, obesity, and other health problems, there's no clear evidence that it increases their risk more than regular sugar does. Instead, the association may simply reflect the fact that we consume so much of it. Limit consumption of foods with added sugar. Sweeteners of any kind (except blackstrap molasses, which contains some calcium, iron, and other nutrients) provide empty calories and show up in foods that aren't very nutritious to begin with.
Read more on the whole truth about high-fructose corn syrup, and see our recent report on cereals for kids and our cereal Ratings (subscribers only).
[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]Subscribe now![/SIZE]
Subscribe to [SIZE=-1]ConsumerReports.org[/SIZE] for expert Ratings, buying advice and reliability on hundreds of products. [SIZE=-1]Update your feed preferences[/SIZE]