HFCSfacts.com - the facts about high fructose corn syrup

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"There's no substantial evidence to support the idea that high-fructose corn syrup is somehow responsible for obesity." "If there was no high-fructose corn syrup, I don't think we would see a change in anything important. I think there's this overreaction." (Dr. Walter Willett, Chairman of the Nutrition Department, Harvard School of Public Health; as quoted in The New York Times article, "Does This Goo Make You Groan?" [print]/"A Sweetener with a Bad Rap" [online]; by Melanie Warner; 07/02/06)

"It's basically no different from table sugar. Table sugar is glucose and fructose stuck together. Corn sweeteners are glucose and fructose separated. The body really can't tell them apart ..." (Dr. Marion Nestle, Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health, New York University, author of "What to Eat" and "Food Politics"; comparing HFCS to table sugar at the TIME/ABC News Summit on Obesity; 06/03/04)

"The authors of this paper misunderstand chemistry, draw erroneous conclusions and have done a disservice to the public in generating this controversy." (Dr. Michael Jacobsen, Executive Director, Center for Science in Public Interest; on Bray/Popkin "commentary" wrongly linking HFCS to obesity; as quoted in the Associated Press article, "Study partly blames widely used sweetener for rise in obesity"; by Steve Hartsoe; 03/25/04)

"HFCS is the chemical and nutritional equivalent of table sugar (sucrose). The two substances have the same calories, the same chemical composition and are metabolized identically." "The increase in the prevalence of obesity in the U.S. coincides with the increased use of HFCS and it is tempting for some of the experts to pose the obvious question: Does HFCS cause obesity? We know, of course, that the simultaneous occurrence of two events does not necessarily mean that one caused the other and, in the case of HFCS, it is fair to say that there is no causal relationship between the two. The prevalence of obesity and diabetes is increasing even more rapidly in parts of the world where HFCS is not used in any significant amounts." (Dr. Arthur Frank, M.D., Medical Director, George Washington University Weight Management Program; in the commentary "Carbs and calories, confusion and chaos", published in The Washington Times; 12/06/06)

"It was a theory meant to spur science, but it's quite possible that it may be found out not to be true." "I don't think there should be a perception that high-fructose corn syrup has caused obesity until we know more." (Dr. Barry M. Popkin, Professor, Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; as quoted in The New York Times article, "Does This Goo Make You Groan?" [print]/"A Sweetener with a Bad Rap" [online]; by Melanie Warner; 07/02/06)

"I don't think it is likely that things would be very different if people consumed increased amounts of either sucrose or high-fructose corn syrup." "Overconsumption of either sweetener, along with dietary fat and decreased physical activity, could contribute to weight gain." (Dr. Peter J. Havel, Associate Researcher, Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis; as quoted in The New York Times article, "Does This Goo Make You Groan?" [print]/"A Sweetener with a Bad Rap" [online]; by Melanie Warner; 07/02/06)

"Like all nutritive sweeteners, it [high fructose corn syrup] contains calories. But critics who attack a single ingredient as the sole cause of obesity are wrong and counterproductive. A quixotic search for an easy answer means true solutions to the obesity problem are not being found." (Dr. John S. White, Caloric Sweetener Expert and President of White Technical Research Group; in a letter to the editor published in The New York Times; 07/09/06)

"I feel very justified in saying it's [high fructose corn syrup] all natural." "Among food scientists, it's a given." (Dr. Thomas J. Montville, Professor, Rutgers University, Department of Food Science; as quoted in The Star-Ledger article, "A controversy is brewing over Snapple labels - Suit disputes 'all natural' claim," by Greg Saitz; 07/06/07)

"The culprit in obesity is not the high fructose corn syrup, it's the sweetener used, but it's the overconsumption of calories contributing to the weight gain." (Madelyn Fernstrom, Ph.D., C.N.S., Director, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Weight Management Center; during a segment on busting nutrition myths on The TODAY Show; 10/09/07)