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HFCS & Obesity Myths - Expert Opinions
Kris Clark, Ph.D., R.D., F.A.C.S.M., Assistant Professor and Director of Sports Nutrition, The Pennsylvania State University, talks about myths associated with high fructose corn syrup and obesity.
Experts Respond
Many qualified experts have weighed in on the questions surrounding high fructose corn syrup.
Campaign Coverage
A variety of media outlets have reported on the Corn Refiners Association campaign to dispel the myths about high fructose corn syrup.
Benefits of Sweeteners
Why do we crave sweetness?
People have evolved from the hunter-gatherers when sweetness indicated that a food was safe to eat. Sweetness was and still is a key taste marker to survival and good health. Sugars as carbohydrates are an important supply of energy to the body. This energy was essential to our survival in our not-so-distant, hunter-gatherer past. However, over the last 12,000 years our way of life has changed significantly. In contrast to our past, an abundance of calories is not essential, but the craving for sweet things remains. (1)
What benefits do nutritive sweeteners provide other than sweetness?
- They provide texture and enhance “mouthfeel.”
- They act as preservatives, protecting the flavor, aroma and color of the fruits used in jellies, jams and preserves.
- They help baked foods brown.
- They provide fermentable sugars that help bread rise.
- They help retain moisture, so high fiber products taste better and baked goods stay fresh.
- They contribute to the “bulk,” or volume, of ice cream, baked goods and preserves and jams.
- They reduce the harsh vinegar or acid bite in non-sweet foods, such as salad dressings, sauces and condiments.
- They improve flavor and texture and help preserve the natural color and structure of fruits used for canning and freezing.
- They help control freezing, melting and boiling points of products. (2)
Are some caloric (nutritive) sweeteners more natural than others?
No. All the major caloric (nutritive) sweeteners including sugar, honey and high fructose corn syrup require processing to make the final sweetener. All are considered natural food ingredients under the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s definition of the term “natural.” Under FDA rules, “natural” means that “nothing artificial or synthetic (including all color additives regardless of source) has been included in, or has been added to, a food that would not normally be expected to be in the food.” (5)
The FDA stated, referring to a process commonly used by the corn refining industry, that it “would not object to the use of the term ‘natural’ on a product containing the HFCS produced by [that] manufacturing process....” (Letter to Corn Refiners Association, July 3, 2008)