Does high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) cause weight gain?
-
Johns Hopkins Medicine answered:This topic is somewhat controversial, but current research suggests that high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) causes certain fat cells to multiply faster than other types of sweeteners. It is known to cause fatty livers, as well. So, in that way, it is “worse” than other sweeteners.
However, too much sugar of any kind will lead to weight gain and increase your risk for developing other conditions such as diabetes. Because HFCS is inexpensive, it is widely used in a variety of foods including soft drinks, baked goods and processed foods.
Americans - including children - are bombarded with products containing HFCS, contributing to an obesity epidemic. It is wise to limit those products and substitute other foods such as unsweetened low-fat dairy, fresh fruit and nuts.This topic is somewhat controversial, but current research suggests that high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) causes certain fat cells to multiply faster than other types of sweeteners. It is known to cause fatty livers, as well. So, in that way, it is... More -
National Academy of Sports Medicine answered:It can, but only if it is accompanied by excess calories that are consumed above the amount necessary for weight maintenance. Regardless of the dietary source, excess calories can be converted to and stored as fat whether they are from a protein, carbohydrate, or fat. You probably know several people that do not eat the greatest diet but still maintain a trim physique or figure. If high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) caused weight gain, then everyone would be overweight. It is true that HFCS is in lots of foods we eat and drink. The number one source of calories in the U.S. is sugar-sweetened beverages (juices, soda, etc). Also, cakes, cookies, chips, and other less than ideal foods make up a large portion of many people’s diets. Add to this low activity levels and a lack of exercise and you have a recipe for weight gain. If you eat fewer of the foods that have HFCS, then you will likely end up eating less junk food and fewer calories. This will likely be healthier for you and can initiate weight loss.
It can, but only if it is accompanied by excess calories that are consumed above the amount necessary for weight maintenance. Regardless of the dietary source, excess calories can be converted to and stored as fat whether they are from a... More -
Jeff Croswell answered:Any type of food can cause weight gain if you eat more than you are burning. Simply you want to balance out your diet with the right amount of carbohydrates, fats and proteins that make you feel good throughout the day and give you energy. Also just stick with the rule to burn more calories than you take in and you will lose the weight you want to. So high fructose corn syrup will not make you gain weight.Any type of food can cause weight gain if you eat more than you are burning. Simply you want to balance out your diet with the right amount of carbohydrates, fats and proteins that make you feel good throughout the day and give you... More -
Dr. Alan Gaby answered:In addition to being high in calories, high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) appears to promote the development of obesity in ways unrelated to its caloric content. Experimental animals given HFCS gained significantly more weight than animals fed sucrose, even though they consumed the same number of total calories and consumed fewer calories from HFCS than from sucrose (Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2010;97:101-106). Observational studies in humans have found that increasing consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (the sweetener in beverages is almost always HFCS) was associated with increased weight gain, even after adjusting for total caloric intake (JAMA 2004;292:927-034).
A detailed discussion of the other adverse effects of HFCS is presented in chapter 3 of my textbook, Nutritional Medicine (www.doctorgaby.com).
In addition to being high in calories, high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) appears to promote the development of obesity in ways unrelated to its caloric content. Experimental animals given HFCS gained significantly more weight than animals fed sucrose,... More -
Dr. Sasson Moulavi answered:Yes , yes and yes. First of all it has lots of calories but worse it causes a significant insulin and glucose spike making you hungry. If you drink 300 calories of a HFCS drink you will get no fullness affect but will be actually hungrier. You will end up eating more to satisfy this "fake " hunger caused by insulin spike. Avoid HFCS please.
Yes , yes and yes. First of all it has lots of calories but worse it causes a significant insulin and glucose spike making you hungry. If you drink 300 calories of a HFCS drink you will get no fullness affect but will be actually hungrier. You will... More -
Susan Liles answered:A high fructose corn syrup diet alone is not going to cause weight gain in comparison to a high sugar, high fat diet. However, the problem with a diet high in high-fructose corn syrup is the fact that the foods that contain high-fructose corn syrup are also normally high fat foods. Consuming a diet that is high in fat will cause weight gain.A high fructose corn syrup diet alone is not going to cause weight gain in comparison to a high sugar, high fat diet. However, the problem with a diet high in high-fructose corn syrup is the fact that the foods that contain high-fructose corn syrup... More -
Dr. Mark Hyman answered:The current media debate about the benefits (or lack of harm) of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in our diet misses the obvious. The average American increased their consumption of HFCS (mostly from sugar sweetened drinks and processed food) from zero to over 60 pounds per person per year. During that time period, obesity rates have more than tripled and diabetes incidence has increased more than seven fold. Not perhaps the only cause, but a fact that cannot be ignored.
Sugar in any form causes obesity and disease when consumed in pharmacologic doses.
Cane sugar and high fructose corn syrup are indeed both harmful when consumed in pharmacologic doses of 140 pounds per person per year. When one 20 ounce HFCS sweetened soda, sports drink or tea has 17 teaspoons of sugar (and the average teenager often consumes two drinks a day) we are conducting a largely uncontrolled experiment on the human species. Our hunter gather ancestors consumed the equivalent of 20 teaspoons per year, not per day.
The current media debate about the benefits (or lack of harm) of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in our diet misses the obvious. The average American increased their consumption of HFCS (mostly from sugar sweetened drinks and processed food)... More -
Margaret Floyd answered:Yes, high-fructose corn syrup does cause weight gain for several reasons. For one, even though fructose is a fruit sugar, when it comes in HFCS it's a chemically manipulated form of corn starch, which means it doesn't have the benefit of all the other nutrients and fiber that you'd find in a piece of whole fruit. The fiber slows down the absorption of the sugar into your blood, and without it, you'll have a blood sugar spike, which leads directly to weight gain.
Also, high fructose corn syrup is converted to fat faster than any other sugar. And consuming high levels of fructose can disrupt glucose metabolism, leading eventually to insulin resistance and diabetes.
Unfortunately HFCS is found in many processed food items. The best way to steer clear of it is to eat real, whole foods in place of processed, packaged foods.
Yes, high-fructose corn syrup does cause weight gain for several reasons. For one, even though fructose is a fruit sugar, when it comes in HFCS it's a chemically manipulated form of corn starch, which means it doesn't have the benefit of all the... More -
Ruth Frechman of Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics answered:High-fructose corn syrup has the same amount of calories as regular table sugar. It's the amount that you consume, not any one type of food that add pounds. Limit the amounts of foods with added sugars that you eat to lose weight. Major sources of sugar in American diets are soda, energy drinks, sports drinks, grain-based desserts (cake, cookies, pies), sugar-sweetened fruit drinks, dairy-based desserts, and candy. We can't blame excess weight on high-fructose corn syrup.High-fructose corn syrup has the same amount of calories as regular table sugar. It's the amount that you consume, not any one type of food that add pounds. Limit the amounts of foods with added sugars that you eat to lose weight. Major sources of... More -
Laura Katleman-Prue answered:This is a great question! Gaining weight is caused by consuming more calories than you expend. That having been said, I can't think of a single ingredient that has a higher correlation with weight gain in the United States than HFCS. This inexpensive ingredient is added to most processed foods and defines the term "empty calorie." Avoiding processed foods and soft drinks will keep the insidious HFCS out of your diet.
This is a great question! Gaining weight is caused by consuming more calories than you expend. That having been said, I can't think of a single ingredient that has a higher correlation with weight gain in the United States than HFCS. This... More -
Carolyn Katzin answered:Animal studies suggest that fructose increases insulin resistance which can lead to obesity. Human genetic variation may be one reason for different responses to a high fructose diet - sometimes called "thrifty genes". High fructose corn syrup varies from 42 to 65% fructose and its introduction into the food supply in 1980's has coincided with the obesity epidemic. Some people describe HFCS as liquid candy.Animal studies suggest that fructose increases insulin resistance which can lead to obesity. Human genetic variation may be one reason for different responses to a high fructose diet - sometimes called "thrifty genes". High fructose corn syrup... More -
Jodie Shield of Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics answered:There’s been a great debate as to whether high-fructose corn syrup may be the reason why obesity rates in the United States have skyrocketed, but there is not enough scientific evidence to say that this sweetener changes metabolism, increases body fat, or boosts appetite. Many companies are removing high- fructose corn syrup from their products, but the key to reaching a healthy weight is to trim calories -- cut back on all types of added sugar.
There’s been a great debate as to whether high-fructose corn syrup may be the reason why obesity rates in the United States have skyrocketed, but there is not enough scientific evidence to say that this sweetener changes metabolism,... More -
Janis Jibrin answered:Yes, in excess high fructose corn syrup can cause weight gain. But so does too much sucrose (white table sugar) or too much honey, or too much of any other sweetener.
High fructose corn syrup has been singled out as particularly fattening and unhealthy, but so far, nearly all the research shows that it's no more or less harmful than other sweeteners.
There are two important issues here:
- There's a LOT of HFCS in the food supply because it's inexpensive. So, it probably isn't any worse for you than other sweeteners, but we're just consuming a lot more of it, particularly in soft drinks.
- Fructose itself, in excess, is a particularly harmful sweetener. It can raise LDL ("bad cholesterol") and seems to preferentially encourage your body to lay down visceral fat, which is the deep belly fat that contributes to heart disease and diabetes. HFCS is about 55% fructose and 45% glucose. White table sugar is about 50-50 fructose and glucose. So, in excess, either of these sweeteners can load you up with too much fructose.
The bottom line: try to cap your added sugar (sweeteners added to coffee, or mixed in cookie and cake recipes, for example) to no more 10% of total calories. For instance, on an 1800 calorie diet, that's 180 calories of added sugar (which is 45 grams or 11 teaspoons) of sugar daily. Sounds like a lot, but it's really easy to down that amount--a 12-oz. can of soda contains 33 grams.
This 10% limit does not include naturally-occurring sugar in fruit or milk. But still, best to stick to whole fruit as opposed to fruit juice, because there's a lot less sugar in the fruit.
Yes, in excess high fructose corn syrup can cause weight gain. But so does too much sucrose (white table sugar) or too much honey, or too much of any other sweetener. High fructose corn syrup has been singled out as particularly fattening and... More -
Amy Jamieson-Petonic of Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics answered:Added sugars, such as HFCS, can cause weight gain due to additional calories. HFCS does not provide much nutrition, but can lead to inflammation in the body, and an increase in belly fat, which is much more harmful with regard to heart disease and diabetes.
Added sugars, such as HFCS, can cause weight gain due to additional calories. HFCS does not provide much nutrition, but can lead to inflammation in the body, and an increase in belly fat, which is much more harmful with regard to heart disease and... More -
Samantha Heller answered:High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is pretty similar on the molecular level to regular sugar and it does not magically pack on the pounds. There is controversy surrounding the effects of HFCS on weight gain. One reason is that HFCS is in foods that are associated with weight gain, such as sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) like soda and fruit drinks. An analysis examining children’s consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages found a significant relationship between kids who drink a lot of SSBs and their body mass index - meaning they are getting fat. The same goes for women who drink sugar-sweetened beverages. The Nurses’ Health Study found that frequent consumption of SSBs is associated with greater weight gain and an increased risk for type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease in women. Other studies have shown a parallel rise in the consumption of HFCS and the staggering increase in obesity and type 2 diabetes in the United States. Of concern also is that the body processes fructose differently than glucose and because of this may bypass the body’s ability to regulate feelings of hunger and fullness, so we eat more. Finally some research is showing that fructose increases inflammatory markers, triglycerides and abdominal fat. Naturally occurring fructose, which is found in fruits and vegetables, comes in small quantities and can be consumed without concern. But foods we eat that have added fructose and HFCS, like SSBs, fast food and junk food, should be limited.
Find out more about this book: Get Smart: Samantha Heller's Nutrition Prescription for Boosting Brain Powe...
High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is pretty similar on the molecular level to regular sugar and it does not magically pack on the pounds. There is controversy surrounding the effects of HFCS on weight gain. One reason is that HFCS is in foods... More -
Judy Caplan of Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics answered:All carbohydrates if eaten in excess will cause weight gain. There have been some studies showing that HFCS is metabolized differently but others that claim eating HFCS is no different from other types of sugars. Controlling all sugars no matter their source is important in preventing weight gain.All carbohydrates if eaten in excess will cause weight gain. There have been some studies showing that HFCS is metabolized differently but others that claim eating HFCS is no different from other types of sugars. Controlling all sugars no matter... More -
Jessica Crandall of Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics answered:No, HFCS does not cause weight gain. The most contributing factors to weight gain is overeating and living a sedentary lifestyle. HFCS is proven safe by the FDA and even if you do cut out all HFCS from your diet and you are still seeing weight gain it's most likely caused by over-consumption in calories.
No, HFCS does not cause weight gain. The most contributing factors to weight gain is overeating and living a sedentary lifestyle. HFCS is proven safe by the FDA and even if you do cut out all HFCS from your diet and you are still seeing weight gain... More
