Experts on Sweetener Switching

Experts weigh in on the similarities between high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and sugar.

“There’s not a shred of evidence that these products are different biologically. The decision to switch from HFCS to cane sugar is 100% marketing and 0% science.”

David S. Ludwig, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School
Crain’s Chicago Business, September 7, 2009

“You cannot just go to a field and squeeze corn syrup out of corn or sugar out of sugar beets or sugarcane.”

Becky Hand, R.D, L.D, M.Ed., lead advising dietician for SparkPeople.com and BabyFit.com
SparkPeople.com, September 1, 2009

"Because the composition of HFCS and sucrose are so similar, particularly on absorption by the body, it appears unlikely that HFCS contributes more to obesity or other conditions than sucrose."

American Medical Association
Report 3 of the Council on Science and Public Health (A-08), June 2008

"The source of the added sugar – whether sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, honey or fruit juice concentrate – should not be of concern; rather it is the amount of total calories that is important."

American Dietetic Association
Hot Topics paper on High Fructose Corn Syrup, December 2008

“To pretend that a product sweetened with sugar is healthier than a product sweetened by high-fructose corn syrup is totally misguided.”

Michael Jacobson, Ph.D., Executive Director, Center for Science in Public Interest
Associated Press, September 10, 2008

"This is a marketing issue, not a metabolic issue… The real issue is not high fructose corn syrup. It's that we've forgotten what a real serving size is. We have to eat less of everything."

David Klurfeld, Ph.D., Human Nutrition National Program Leader, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture
Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Annual Meeting, June 8, 2009

Replacing high fructose corn syrup in foods with other fructose-containing sweeteners will provide neither improved nutrition nor a meaningful solution to the obesity crisis. “In light of similarities in composition, sweetness, energy content, processing and metabolism, claims that such sweetener substitutions bring nutritional benefit to children and their families appear disingenuous and misleading.”

John S. White, Ph.D., Caloric Sweetener Expert and President, White Technical Research
Journal of Nutrition, June 2009

“The danger I see in all of this is a misleading message that foods and beverages sweetened with sugar are better choices than those with added high fructose corn syrup. This is simply not true, from a nutritional point of view.”

Madelyn Fernstrom, Ph.D., C.N.S., Director, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Weight Management Center
Health Journal on iVillage.com, March 25, 2009

"Regardless if it's honey, cane sugar, high fructose corn syrup or just plain sugar, we metabolize it the same."

Carrie Taylor, R.D., L.D.N., Registered Dietitian for Big Y Foods
ABC 40 News At 12, April 8, 2009

“HFCS is essentially the same as table sugar.” “We wanted to be true to the time that the products represent. During that time, sugar was the sweetener we used in our soft drinks.”

Nicole Bradley, Senior Manager, Public Relations, Pepsi
QSR Magazine, March 2009

“As a company, we’ve always seen HFCS and sugar as the same.” “It’s not that the sugar’s less calories than HFCS. It’s just that we’ve used different flavor modifiers that have reduced the calories in this one product.”

Jason Genthner, Snapple Spokesperson
QSR Magazine, March 2009