Corn Syrup vs High Fructose Corn Syrup
Corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup are two food additives that are commonly used in recipes today. It’s important to understand the difference between them before substituting one for the other. Both corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup are used in food as sweeteners and to maintain texture. High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is very commonly used in the US as a sweetener in food products. Research in the US has found that consumption of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) can lead to weight gain, which has fueled criticism from health-conscious consumers about the excessive use of food additives in food products.
Key Takeaways
- Corn syrup is made from corn starch and composed mainly of glucose. It is used to enhance the flavor of food, soften texture, and prevent sugar crystallization.
- High fructose corn syrup is created by using an enzymatic process on corn syrup, converting some of the glucose into fructose, which is sweeter. It has become a common sugar substitute in food products and is used in the manufacturing of soft drinks.
- There is a minor but critical difference between corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup. Corn syrup is made by hydrolyzing corn starch, while high fructose corn syrup is made from the enzymatic action on a group of corn syrups. High fructose corn syrup is believed to increase obesity in the human body.
What is Corn Syrup?
Corn syrup is a food additive made from corn starch and composed mainly of glucose. It is used in foods for many purposes, such as enhancing the flavor, softening the texture, and preventing sugar crystallization. The corn syrup is produced from yellow dent corn, which is wet milled and made into starch. α-Amylase is then added to the starch-water mixture, which is an enzyme that breaks the starch down into glucose.
What is High Fructose Corn Syrup?
To make high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup undergoes an enzymatic process to convert some of the glucose into fructose, which is sweeter. High fructose corn syrup has become a sugar substitute and is commonly used in food products. It is used predominantly in the manufacturing of soft drinks and has replaced sucrose in the US. The US Food and Drug Administration recognized HFCS as safe as other sugar products in 1976, but some argue that it is more harmful than regular sugar. Recent research from Princeton University has fueled this debate.
What is the difference between Corn Syrup and High Fructose Corn Syrup?
Although the names may be misleading, there is a minor but critical difference between corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup:
- Corn syrup is made by hydrolyzing corn starch, while high fructose corn syrup is made from the enzymatic action on a group of corn syrups. This means that high fructose corn syrup is a derivative product of corn syrup.
- Corn syrup is a food additive used for various purposes, such as enhancing taste, texture, and flavor. High fructose corn syrups are commonly used as sweeteners in food products. However, it is believed that high fructose corn syrup can increase obesity in the human body.
Despite the criticism against the usage of high fructose corn syrup in food products, it is still used in beverages in most parts of the world. This may be a reason people tend to gain weight after regularly consuming soft drinks.
