High Fructose Corn Syrup , a natural sugar? 高果糖玉米糖漿-真糖還假糖?

Last time when I was looking to buy a bottle of tomato ketchup at the supermarket, I noticed that several brands used High Fructose Corn Syrup among their ingredients. It made me think about discussing High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) here. This food additive is something that I believe people who are used to reading food labels might be familiar with. Similar to carrageenan, HFCS is another ingredient that makes me pay attention to what I consume. Its production cost is much lower compared to natural sugars, hence its widespread presence in various cookies, candies, desserts, beverages, and even sauces and dressings available in the market. As someone who enjoys browsing through Japanese and Korean supermarkets, I’ve slowly lost my enthusiasm for these products because of HFCS. So sad. I know. 😦 上一次經過超市要買瓶番茄醬, 看到幾個品牌的成分中含有High fructose corn syrup, 讓我想在這聊聊高果糖玉米糖漿 (high fructose corn syrup). 這個食品添加物 我相信習慣看食品成分表的朋友們會對它有些印象. 高果糖漿也是繼鹿角膠另一個讓我會在飲食中注意的一個成分. 因為它的製造成本比天然糖低很多, 市面上各式餅乾糖果甜點飲料調味料中到處都可以看的見它的蹤影. 尤其是愛逛日韓超市的我, 已經因為這個慢慢失去對它們的熱愛了…

High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is an artificial sweetener typically made from genetically modified corn starch. Through processing, some of the glucose is converted into fructose, creating a sweet syrup. Because of its liquid form which easily dissolves to use, and high fructose content, which can reach up to 55% (there are generally two types, HFCS 42 and HFCS 55, denoting the percentage of fructose), as well as its low production cost, HFCS is widely used in the food and beverage industry. It serves as a sweetening agent in various products such as beverages, pastries, condiments, processed foods, and even baby food. Its popularity began in the 1970s as a relatively inexpensive alternative to cane sugars. 高果糖玉米糖漿（High Fructose Corn Syrup，縮寫為HFCS）是一種人工合成的 甜味劑，通常由基因改造的玉米澱粉製成。透過加工過程，部分葡萄糖轉化為果糖，形成一種甜蜜的糖漿。由於它本身屬液態容易溶解, 可高達55%的果糖含量 (HFCS 一般有兩種, HFCS 42 and HFCS 55. 這裡的數字指的是果糖的百分比含量), 以及低廉的製造成本, HFCS常被廣泛應用於食品和飲料工業中，作為各種產品的甜味劑，例如飲料、糕點, 調味料, 加工食品甚至嬰兒食品中. 它在1970年代開始流行，被視為相對便宜的蔗糖替代品.

Due to its extensive use in everyday diets, numerous medical research reports over the past one to two decades have continually indicated the long-term health risks associated with HFCS. Let’s first discuss the impact and functions of glucose and fructose when consuming HFCS. The glucose component in HFCS can lead to an increase in blood sugar levels, while fructose is primarily stored in the liver and visceral fat tissues. It also suppresses the secretion of leptin, the hormone responsible for signaling satiety, leading to a lack of fullness and continued eating, thereby increasing the risk of obesity. Once obesity sets in, it can lead to various health issues such as heart disease, diabetes, fatty liver, and even brain shrinkage 由於它已經被大量地使用在日常飲食中, 過去一二十年也陸續出現很多的醫學研究報告指出HFCS 長遠來看會造成對健康的危害. 在這要先談一下我們吃了HFCS 它的葡萄糖跟果糖對身體的影響和作用. HFCS 中的葡萄糖部分會導致血糖升高，但果糖則主要儲存在肝臟和內臟脂肪組織中。它也會抑制瘦素（leptin）的分泌，使人沒有飽足感，進而持續進食，這樣一來就增加了肥胖的風險。一旦身體出現肥胖症狀, 就可能導致多種健康問題，如心臟病、糖尿病、脂肪肝，甚至大腦萎縮等。

Additionally, consuming fructose can increase uric acid levels, leading to issues such as gout, kidney stones, and systemic inflammation. What’s more, fructose can induce insulin resistance, affecting the brain’s memory regions and hindering the effective use of glucose, thereby impacting individuals with Alzheimer’s disease. In 2022, Dr. Richard J. Johnson, a professor at the University of Colorado Medical School, published the renowned book “Nature Wants Us to Be Fat.” His research suggests that excessive fructose intake might not only be associated with Alzheimer’s disease but also potentially linked to mental conditions like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), bipolar disorder, and aggressive behavior. 另外, 進食果糖也會增加尿酸水平，引發痛風、腎結石和全身性發炎反應等問題。更糟糕的是，果糖會導致胰島素阻抗，影響大腦的記憶區域無法有效使用葡萄糖，進而影響阿茲海默症患者。2022 年美國科羅拉多大學醫學系教授Dr. Richard J. Johnson的著名書籍《Nature Wants Us to Be Fat》，他的研究中發現，除了與阿茲海默症有關外，過度攝取果糖還可能與注意力不足過動症（ADHD）、躁鬱症（Bipolar disorder）以及暴力行為等心智異常有關。

After getting a basic understanding of high fructose corn syrup, what I’d like to emphasize is that it’s essentially a nutrient-deficient additive. Long-term consumption doesn’t benefit our health at all. Over the years my bad habit of enjoying cookies and snacks hasn’t changed, unfortunately. But I’ve learned to read food labels to decide what’s worth purchasing and consuming. Kids often have chances to have various snacks at school, and they’ve also learned to pay attention to the ingredient lists. In our daily diet, when it comes to sugar intake, it’s best to opt for natural sources like cane sugar, honey, coconut sugar, or maple syrup. As for artificially synthesized sugars like HFCS or artificial sweeteners (such as Sucralose) and chemically synthesized ones (like Aspartame), it’s better to avoid them if possible. 在簡單了解高果糖玉米糖之後, 我想說的是, 其實它呢就是個不含任何營養價值的添加物. 長期食用對我們健康是有損無益. 這些年我愛吃餅乾零食的的習慣也沒改變, 只能靠讀取食物成分表來取捨哪那些能買能吃. 孩子們在學校裡有機會吃的到各式零食. 也學會了注意一下後面的成分表. 在日常飲食中, 需要攝取糖份盡量吃天然的糖. 蔗糖, 蜂蜜, 椰糖, 或是楓糖漿都是我們的選擇. 至於人工合成的糖(HFCS), 或是人工合成(三氯蔗糖Sucralose)與化學合成的代糖 (阿斯巴甜Aspartame ), 還是能避則避吧.

Choosing to eat natural and good sugars is better than these artificially synthesized artificial sugars which will affect our health. 選擇吃好糖, 好過被這些人工合成的假糖誤了健康啊~~~~

參考資料:

1. 6 Reasons Why High-Fructose Corn Syrup Is Bad for You. 六個為什麼高果糖玉米糖漿對你不好的原因.
2. 《Nature Wants Us to Be Fat》by Dr. Richard J. Johnson. 
3. The WHO’s IARC released in July 2023 a statement regarding the potential risk of consuming aspartame and its association with cancer. However, further more research is still needed to confirm this potential impact. WHO的IARC 在2023 七月發表了攝取阿斯巴甜與得癌症的風險相關. 不過這潛在的影響仍然需要之後更多研究支持才能更加確定.