We are lucky enough in Australia not to use High Fructose Corn Syrup in our foods however we do use a sweetener called Sucrose, which is just as dangerous. In the past Fructose has been treated as a healthier choice for a sweetener due to the delayed effect upon blood sugar levels. This delayed effect has given soft drink companies a loop hole to market their drinks as having a low glycemic index.
Physiologically Fructose, unlike glucose doesn’t stimulate insulin production. Insulin makes you put on weight as insulin stores energy. This is why a high glucose or sugar intake leads to weight gain. Sucrose or commonly known as Table sugar, is actually made up of 50% glucose and 50% fructose making it a 100% unhealthy sweetener. High fructose corn syrup contains 45-58% glucose and and 42-55% fructose. There is not much difference between the two. Fructose is not only a corn syrup it is also a major component of the fruits we consume, however the amounts that are being used in the foods containing fructose as a sweetener puts our bodies in distress as we are not designed to handle fructose in the current amounts.
If you are reaching for packages fruit juices, stop, and think about the amount of sugar you will be consuming. Instead drink WATER, a highly under-estimated choice for a drink. Your body will thank you. This will help limit your consumption of sugar sweetened foods. Also be aware of foods labeled ‘Sugar Free’ as these are often sweetened with fructose.