by Mike Adams
(NaturalNews) High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a popular sweetener because it is chemically different from sugar — it has a longer shelf life and mixes better into beverages. Yet the corn industry likes to downplay these differences, pointing out that sugar is 50 percent fructose and 50 percent glucose, while HFCS is 55 percent fructose and 45 percent glucose.
To make HFCS, a 100 percent glucose solution is converted via enzymes into a 42 percent fructose-58 percent glucose solution. This solution is further treated until it is 90 percent glucose, then mixed with more 42-58 solution to yield a 55-45 concentration. So while the final ratio of fructose to glucose might look similar to table sugar, it is in fact a very different product. Is it any wonder that HFCS is processed differently by the body?
Scientific research, not surprisingly, has linked HFCS to diabetes, obesity and even heart disease.