Popular Doctor Says High Fructose Corn Syrup Is Just As Healthy As Honey
Dr. Jen Gunter, a "respected" Canadian gynecologist with a column in the New York Times, recently claimed that high fructose corn syrup is not "meaningfully different" to other sweeteners like honey. She was responding to another female health expert with a large social media following named Mindy Pelz, who stated that high fructose corn syrup is "the deadliest carbohydrate" on the planet.
Pelz argues that high fructose corn syrup is especially harmful because it is quickly taken up by the liver, and converted to fat, and this contributes to obesity. Her concerns tap into the growing conversation surrounding processed sugars and their impact on our health—a topic extensively explored by holistic health experts like Dr. Mark Hyman.
HFCS is indeed a processed sugar, derived from corn, with a percentage of its glucose converted to fructose to mimic the sweetness of table sugar. The fructose content in HFCS can vary, but it generally hovers around 55 percent in sodas and 42 percent in jams, closely aligning with the fructose levels found in table sugar and honey. This similarity raises questions, as Dr. Gunter points out, about why HFCS is demonized when its fructose content is not "drastically" different from that of natural sweeteners.
Natural vs. Sugar: The Obvious Difference
However, an obvious issue arises when one considers the well-documented results of consistently consuming processed sugars versus natural ones. Critics of HFCS, including Dr. Hyman, argue that the issue with HFCS and similar sweeteners goes beyond their basic nutritional profile and that processed sugars are the bedrock of most unhealthy eating habits and exacerbate issues like diabetes and heart disease.
The argument against HFCS also touches on its dominance in the Western diet, often hidden in processed foods and beverages, making it easy to consume in excess without realizing it. While it's true that consuming any food in surplus can lead to health issues, the accessibility, and abundance of HFCS in everyday products make it a particular point of concern for those mindful of their sugar intake.
Moreover, recent research has explored the hypothesis that HFCS might cause biological changes that facilitate weight gain and hinder weight loss, more so than other forms of sugar. This hypothesis, while still under investigation, suggests that the impact of HFCS on our bodies is likely much more significant than previously stated.
While natural sweeteners like honey come with their own set of benefits and drawbacks, the importance of prioritizing whole, unprocessed foods in our diets over processed ones should be common knowledge rather than being labeled "extreme" or misleading.
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