High Fructose Corn Syrup vs Sugar
Sugar and high
fructose corn syrup have
the same number of calories
as most carbohydrates; both
contribute 4 calories per gram. They are also equal in sweetness. (2) Sugar and high fructose corn syrup contain nearly the same one-to-one ratio of two sugars-fructose and glucose: Sugar is 50 percent fructose and 50 percent glucose. High fructose corn syrup is sold principally in two formulations-42 percent and 55 percent fructose-with the balance made up of primarily glucose and higher sugars. (1) Once the combination of glucose and fructose found in HFCS and sugar are absorbed into the blood stream, the two sweeteners appear to be metabolized similarly in the body. (3,4,5,6,7,8) In terms of chemical structure, table sugar and high fructose corn syrup differ by the bonding of their sugars. Table sugar is a disaccharide, in which fructose and glucose are linked by a chemical bond. (9) Fructose and glucose are not bonded in HFCS, and so are sometimes referred to as "free" sugars.
High fructose corn syrup and sugar share many similarities including calories, taste, composition, consumption, and labeling. There are also some important differences that make each sweetener valued in different types of foods and beverages. Click the tabs above to learn more about table sugar and high fructose corn syrup including facts about their: