High fructose corn syrup vs. cane sugar

Andrew Huberman and Robert Lustig have discussed the differences between high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and cane sugar (sucrose) on the Huberman Lab. Both HFCS and sucrose contain glucose and fructose in roughly equal parts, but the key difference lies in their chemical composition and processing.

1. Composition and Processing: Sucrose consists of glucose and fructose molecules bound together, while in HFCS, these molecules are free. This difference in structure makes them metabolically similar yet economically different. The unbound nature of glucose and fructose in HFCS makes it a more flexible ingredient for food manufacturers, often resulting in its extensive use in processed foods due to lower costs compared to sucrose 1 2.

2. Metabolic Impact: From a metabolic perspective, both sugars perform similarly in the body, leading to insulin responses and fat generation. However, fructose in particular has been criticized for contributing to fatty liver and increased triglycerides as it is primarily processed by the liver 1.

3. Economic and Usage Differences: Economically, HFCS is cheaper and widely used in the food industry, especially in the United States. Cane sugar, while similar, is often found in less processed forms 2.

4. Addictive Nature: Both forms of sugar can be addictive due to their impact on the brain's reward pathways, which can drive overconsumption. The texture-enhancing properties of HFCS, for example, are used in products like chewy cookies, making them harder to resist 2.

Overall, while metabolically similar, high fructose corn syrup's economic advantages and ease of use in processing result in its widespread presence in many foods as a sweetener compared to cane sugar.