Wellnesshealthy livinghigh fructose corn syrupHFCS

What's The Difference Between Sugar And High Fructose Corn Syrup?

What's The Difference Between Sugar And High Fructose Corn Syrup?
By 

On Assignment For HuffPost

High fructose corn syrup has been a somewhat mysterious ingredient ever since the 1970s.

It was introduced to the market at a time just as corn farmers began to receive subsidies (a practice that's still in place today), making it a much cheaper ingredient than sugar. Unlike sugar, which comes from a plant, HFCS is formed from an intricate chemical process, which breaks down corn into a sweetener. Despite the process in which they're made, sugar and HFSC have little nutritional differences. Learn more about these two sweeteners in video above, which was produced by the American Chemical Society.

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Before You Go

The Sugar-iest Foods That Don't Taste Sweet
Whole-wheat crackers, 8(01 of15)
Open Image Modal
Up to 12 grams sugar

Source: Eat It to Beat It! by David Zinczenko (credit: bhofack/iStock/360/Getty Images)
Crispy chicken and spinach salad, prepared in a restaurant(02 of15)
Open Image Modal
Up to 13 grams sugar

Source: Eat It to Beat It! by David Zinczenko (credit: TBird59/iStock/360/Getty Images)
Tomato basil soup, 1 can(03 of15)
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Up to 13-22 grams sugar

Source: Eat It to Beat It! by David Zinczenko (credit:molka/iStock/Thinkstock)
Crunchy broccoli salad, 1/2 cup(04 of15)
Open Image Modal
7 grams sugar

Source: Kraft recipes (credit:ElenaFabbrili/iStock/Thinkstock)
Energy drinks, 8-ounce bottle*(05 of15)
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Up to 21–30 grams
*Some energy drinks are sold in 16-ounce bottles

Source: University of California, Davis, Department of Nutrition fact sheet
Yogurt, single serving-size cup (usually 6 ounces)(06 of15)
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Up to 25–34 grams of sugar

Source: Eat It to Beat It! by David Zinczenko (credit:moranaF/iStock/Thinkstock)
Coleslaw, 2 tablespoons(07 of15)
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Up to 12 grams of sugar

Source: Sugar Has 56 Names: A Shopper's Guide, by Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL (credit:TheMalni/iStock/Thinkstock)
Baked beans, 1/2 cup(08 of15)
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11–16 grams of sugar

Source: Sugar Has 56 Names: A Shopper's Guide, by Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL (credit:Ju-Lee/iStock/Thinkstock)
Beef jerky, 1 serving(09 of15)
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4–6 grams of sugar

Source: Sugar Has 56 Names: A Shopper's Guide, by Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL (credit:bhofack2/iStock/Thinkstock)
Vanilla almond milk, 1 cup(10 of15)
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Up to 14 grams of sugar
(Unsweetened almond milk: 0 grams sugar)

Source: Sugar Has 56 Names: A Shopper's Guide, by Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL (credit: bhofack2/iStock/Thinkstock)
Hamburger buns, 1 bun(11 of15)
Open Image Modal
Up to 3–6 grams

Source: Sugar Has 56 Names: A Shopper's Guide, by Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL (credit:sautepl/iStock/Thinkstock)
Teriyaki marinade(12 of15)
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Up to 8 grams sugar

Source: Eat It to Beat It! by David Zinczenko (credit:Svetlana Kolpakova/Hemera/Thinkstock)
Cereal bars, 1 bar(13 of15)
Open Image Modal
12 grams of sugar, on average

Source: Sugar Has 56 Names: A Shopper's Guide, by Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL (credit: rzeszutek/iStock/Thinkstock)
Hot cereal, 1 envelope(14 of15)
Open Image Modal
Up to 7–12 grams

Source: Sugar Has 56 Names: A Shopper's Guide, by Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL (credit:AbbieImages/iStock/Thinkstock)
Dark chocolate, 1 bar(15 of15)
Open Image Modal
Up to 16–21 grams
(You can find dark chocolate with a high percentage of cacao with as little as 5 grams of sugar)

Source: Eat It to Beat It! by David Zinczenko (credit: Zakharova_Natalia/iStock/Thinkstock)

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