New info on high fructose corn syrup causes me to rethink my position (slightly)

Yesterday, I posted on the supposed evils of high fructose corn syrup. Many have argued that an increase in our fructose intake is partly (or largely) to blame for the epidemic of overweight and diabetic Americans. I've been inclined to believe that much of the damage ascribed to HFCS has more to do with the fact that we simply consume too much soda than it does with the fact that soft drink manufacturers have started using HFCS in place of regular table sugar. Contrary to popular assumptions, HFCS and table sugar actually contain the same amount of fructose. 

I've suspected that the focus on HFCS was a way to shift the responsbility for our expanding waistlines from our own behavior to the food industry. But I'm prepared to rethink my position in light of new research just presented at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society. 

Although table sugar and HFCS contain roughly the same proportion of fructose and glucose, the fructose and glucose are more tightly bound together in table sugar than they are in HFCS. Researchers have demonstrated that the "unbound" sugars create harmful compounds called carbonyls in HFCS-sweetened beverages.  These unstable molecules cause damage to cells and tissues that have been linked to the development of diabetes. 

This new finding suggests that the increased use of HFCS in industrial food production could be partially responsible for increased rates of diabetes, especially among children and young adults. But I'm still convinced that our consumption habits play a far greater role.  Kids who drink two or three sodas a day (the national average) are more likely to gain weight and increase their risk of diabetes--whether those sodas are sweetened with sugar or HFCS.  People who are not obese are at low risk of diabetes--no matter what they drink.

There was one other fascinating corrollary to this study.  The presence of EGCG (the active compound in green tea) greatly diminished the amount of carbonyls in the HFCS-sweetened sodas. (Market watch: Look for a huge influx of green tea or EGCG-enhanced soft drinks soon).  Adding EGCG or green tea to sodas might make soft drinks slightly less damaging by reducing the carbonyls, but it won't make them less fattening!  If you're really concerned about your health, consider moderating your (and your children's) consumption of all sweetened drinks.