What type of molecule is hfcs

Read on to learn about the safety of high-fructose corn syrup and its role in your health. High fructose corn syrup HFCS is a liquid sweetener made from cornstarch. It is made by breaking down corn into molecules of glucose a type of sugar. Half the glucose molecules are then chemically changed into fructose another type of sugar — but sweeter. HFCS is found in most foods that have added sugars, and is a very common ingredient in processed foods.

Most of the HFCS we eat or drink comes from soft drinks and sweetened fruit drinks. However, HFCS can also be found in canned fruits, boxed desserts, flavoured yogurts, baked goods, breakfast cereals and condiments, like ketchup, jams and jellies. Obesity: Some research studies suggest that HFCS may contribute to obesity because of the extra calories it adds to our diet. However, our bodies use HFCS and other sugars the same way.

Heart disease and diabetes: There is not much research to show that HFCS causes heart disease or diabetes. In one recent study, Stanhope looked at 85 people ages 18 to 40, and compared the health effects of drinking beverages and fruit juices sweetened with HFCS to those of drinking sugar-free beverages. The participants were placed in four groups during the day study period: Three groups consumed beverages sweetened with HFCS that were equivalent to either 25 percent, The fourth group was a comparison group that drank beverages that were sweetened with the artificial sweetener aspartame.

The researchers used hourly blood draws to determine changes in lipoprotein, triglyceride and uric acid levels, all indicators of cardiovascular disease.

The study's findings showed an increase in signs of cardiovascular disease in both men and women who consumed the HFCS. There was an 18 percent increased risk factors for those in the 25 percent HFCS group, a 12 percent increased risk for those in the Many previous studies have also showed that consuming too much sucrose can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, Stanhope said. But products that contain sugar and those that contain HFCS also differ in another important way: They contain different amounts of fructose.

Sugar always contains exactly 50 percent glucose and 50 percent fructose, Stanhope said. In contrast, "with HFCS, you can get a product that has variable amounts of fructose versus glucose," she said. The reason for these variable amounts is that making HFCS involves enzymes that turn cornstarch into glucose and then into fructose. This allows manufacturers to combine the glucose and fructose into any ratio desired, Stanhope said. The author goes on to state that fructose and glucose are not metabolized in the same way, and thus the lack of a chemical bond between the two molecules in HFCS as opposed to their combined form sucrose may be more significant than originally thought.

Another article published in Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior in conducted a study by feeding rats food laced with either sucrose or HFCS. Over the course of the experiment, the rats showed significantly more weight gain when consuming the HFCS than the sucrose, with the weight gain being accompanied by an increase in body fat.

As of now the jury is still out on high fructose corn syrup. There are a lot of conflicting studies, and plenty of studies that are currently being conducted. What is the best advice? As with all sugars and other calorie dense foods, moderation is the key.