High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and table sugar (sucrose) are both made of glucose and fructose. HFCS contains glucose and fructose as single sugars and sucrose contains them connected together (as a double sugar or disaccharide). HFCS may contain as much as 55% fructose as opposed to sucrose, which has 50% each. Many scientists believe that both sucrose and HFCS are handled by the body identically, but there is also evidence that HFCS is much more likely to cause weight gain and all of its complications.
No one doubts that both sucrose and HFCS are dangerous to our health.
Fructose is metabolized much differently than glucose in that it is stored in the liver in the form of fat and glucose is stored as glycogen (long chains of glucose) or used for energy. They also act differently in the brain where glucose lowers our appetite and fructose increases our appetite.
HFCS and ethanol are handled the same in the liver and lead to liver inflammation and eventually cirrhosis. One can of beer has an equally harmful effect on the liver a one can of soda with HFCS.
