Are Sodas with Pure Cane Sugar Really Better for You than High Fructose Corn Syrup?

Most beverages consumed by the average citizen has some sort of added sweetener. This can include products like sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and artificial sweeteners like Ace-K or aspartame. Although taste is important for most people, the safety of consuming many of these sweeteners is under the debate by food manufacturers and health officials; as well as the FDA. As a result, beverage makers and distributors have come out with new all natural versions of many products. This a good development in light of research that suggests that some sweeteners have led to health problems. However, not all natural sweeteners are as natural as they seem.

Pure Cane Sugar

Pure Cane Sugar is sugar that has undergone less processing and is often more brown in color than Refined Sugar (the white stuff, also known as Table Sugar). You often find Pure Cane Sugar in health food stores and the Natural aisles in your grocery stores. While Pure Cane Sugar (or Dehydrated Cane Juice) can definitely not be described as being good for you because it is a sweetener, on a scale of bad to less bad, Pure Cane Sugar is one of the better sweeteners you can choose. Because of this, Pure Cane Sugar is often included as the sweetener in beverages that carry the label Natural.

What is High Fructose Corn Syrup?

The use of high fructose syrup, also known as HFCS, has skyrocketed in recent years because of its wide availability and cost efficiency. It is comprised primarily of corn syrup that has been stripped down and heavily processed to increase the fructose content. This leaves it with a taste that is far sweeter than that of regular cane sugar, thereby allowing much smaller quantities to be used. It also has a longer shelf life than sugar, especially all natural cane sugar which contains no preservatives to extend its use. This makes high fructose syrup very attractive to manufacturers of nearly all food products, especially beverage companies.

If you check food labels, you will find high fructose corn syrup in everything from soda, juice, drink mix, yogurt, canned goods, and nearly anything else found on super market shelves. Even items that are labeled as all natural can often be found containing high fructose corn syrup. Whats the problem? Since HFCS is heavily processed and laden with chemically based preservatives, it is really anything but natural.

Heated debates regarding the safety of high fructose corn syrup have been waged by many health organizations, primarily because it is believed HFCS may be a huge contributor in the current obesity epidemic. This is because high fructose corn syrup is processed differently by the body than sugar, and due to its unnatural composition, causes the brain to fail to recognize a feeling of fullness. This results in overeating when consuming products which contain HFCS, and because so many products have this sweetener in them, its hard to know which foods are safe. It is also theorized that HFCS may cause the body to produce more fat than usual, resulting in weight gain.

Of course there are other studies saying that HFCS is just the same as table sugar in the effect it has on the body and doesnt contribute to obesity any more than sugar. And again, it is important to remember that sweeteners overall, whether its High Fructose Corn Syrup, Pure Cane Sugar, or any other sweetener, arent the best for your body, especially in large amounts. After all, The World Health Organization recommends that only 10% of your daily calories come from sugar. Based on the average 2,000 calorie diet, thats only 50 grams of sugar per day you should be ingesting, and less is preferable!

Ace K

Acesulfame potassium, more commonly known as Ace-K, is another widely used sweetener that has been targeted at the center of a growing debate. Ace-K is an artificial sweetener comprised of a cocktail of chemicals and additives and is in the same category as sucralose (commonly marketed as Splenda) and aspartame. Artificial sweeteners contain no calories, making them appealing to dieters, diabetics, and anyone who wants the sweet taste of their favorite treats without the calories and fat.

In many products, like soft drinks, Ace K is used along with other 0 calorie sweeteners like sucralose or aspartame because the blend of these sweeteners makes a more palatable taste than any one of them used alone.

For diabetics, Ace-K and other artificial sweeteners are especially appealing because they do not raise blood sugar. They also do not contribute to tooth decay as sugar can. These characteristics pose health benefits to those suffering from blood sugar and dental problems, however Ace-K and all similar products should still be used in extreme moderation.

Although some sweeteners are more harmful than others, it still stands that all should be consumed in small quantities. Whether sugar, high fructose corn syrup, or artificial sweeteners like Ace-K; each has its own effects on the body and the waistline. That said, it is important to check food labels before buying soda or other foods and beverages to ensure that you know which sweeteners are being used and the amounts in which they are present.