Immediate Release:
Friday, October 24, 2008
Nebraska Corn Board contacts:
Don Hutchens: 800.632.6761
Websites are good resources for the facts on high fructose corn syrup
LINCOLN, NE – Nebraska corn growers encourage consumers to learn the truth about high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), a food ingredient found in a variety of products on the grocery store shelf.
“HFCS has been targeted by some groups and individuals as a causative agent for a variety of ills facing society today, yet the simple truth is HFCS is no different than any other sweetener, other than it is made from corn,” said Don Hutchens, executive director of the Nebraska Corn Board.
“There are some excellent, consumer-friendly resources available online that contain a lot of good information, including a side-by-side comparison of HFCS, table sugar and honey, as well as answers to a number of common questions and myths,” he said. “I’d encourage people who want to know the truth to visit them.”
These websites are HFCSfacts.com and SweetSurprise.com.
HFCS contains four calories per gram – the same as table sugar and honey – and contains similar ratios of fructose and glucose as these other sweeteners. The body also metabolizes HFCS in the same way as table sugar and honey.
In addition, the American Medical Association said in June of this year that “high fructose corn syrup does not appear to contribute to obesity more than other caloric sweeteners,” and the Food and Drug Administration has affirmed that HFCS is a natural product.
Despite this, Hutchens said, a number of false claims seem to surround HFCS.
“The consumption of HFCS has actually decreased in recent years, yet obesity and diabetes rates in the U.S. continue to rise,” Hutchens said. “At the same time, in parts of the world where HFCS is not generally consumed, rates of obesity and diabetes are also on the rise.”
He said certainly people would like to find a “magic bullet” to explain away these trends, but that blaming a useful ingredient like HFCS will not solve the problem.
“HFCS is a natural ingredient made from corn, and should be treated and consumed like other sweeteners, not made the scapegoat,” Hutchens said. “HFCS is actually very useful for many food companies, as it not only adds sweetness but improves the texture of many foods and helps keep foods fresh.”
Additional Kernels of Truth and information on corn production and use are available at the Nebraska Corn Board website – NebraskaCorn.org.
The Nebraska Corn Board is a self-help program, funded and managed by Nebraska corn farmers. Producers invest in the program at a rate of 1/4 of a cent per bushel of corn sold. Nebraska corn checkoff funds are invested in programs of market development, research and education.
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