Cane Sugar vs High Fructose Corn Syrup: Differences

Regarding sweeteners, two of the most commonly used ingredients are cane sugar and high fructose corn syrup. High fructose corn syrup has gotten a bad rap, but is it really different from normal sugar? While both make food and beverages taste sweeter and have approximately the same amount of calories, they have some big differences that may impact your blood sugar, insulin resistance, and other aspects of your health. In this article, we’ll break down everything you need to know about these two ingredients so you can determine what’s right for you and better manage your sugar intake.

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What Is Cane Sugar?

Cane sugar comes from the sugarcane plant (Saccharum officinarum), which thrives in warm climates. It’s made by harvesting sugarcane stalks and pressing them to withdraw the sweet juice. The juice is then filtered and then boiled until sugar crystals are formed. Cane sugar is composed of the simple sugars glucose and fructose, making it a disaccharide. This sugar, also called sucrose, is used mainly to sweeten and flavor various foods and drinks. Cane sugar can be found in numerous forms, such as granulated sugar, brown sugar, and powdered sugar. It’s used with sugar from the sugar beet plant to make traditional table sugar. 

<div class="pro-tip"><strong>Also Read: </strong><a href=what-is-inverted-sugar>Inverted Sugar: What Is It, and How Does It Affect Your Glucose or Metabolism?</a></a>.</div>

What Is High Fructose Corn Syrup?

High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is made from cornstarch. Cornstarch is processed into corn syrup which is made up mostly of glucose. Then, it is further processed with enzymes to convert some of the glucose to fructose. This results in a sweet syrup with a higher amount of fructose than cane sugar. It comes in different varieties like HFCS 42 (42% fructose) and HFCS 55 (55% fructose), and food companies use this in products like cereals, cookies, juices, sodas, ice cream, and other baked goods.¹ While fructose is naturally found in foods like fruit, the high concentration of fructose in this sweetener makes it different from other types of sugar and has caused much concern. 

HFCS is typically utilized to sweeten various foods and beverages, including soda, sauces, and condiments. Although it has become a common ingredient in many diets, it has numerous health concerns. Unlike glucose, fructose is metabolized by the liver, which promotes the synthesis of fat and can ultimately result in weight gain and conditions like fatty liver. Additionally, it’s been shown that diets high in fructose can have a negative effect on gut health, damaging the barrier in the intestine and causing widespread inflammation in the body.²

Differences Between Cane Sugar and High Fructose Corn Syrup

Understanding the difference between these sweeteners will allow you to be more intentional about your food choices. Let’s explore the primary ways these ingredients differ.

Composition

Cane sugar is derived from the sugarcane plant and is composed of equal parts of the monosaccharides glucose and fructose. 

High fructose corn syrup comes from cornstarch and is typically made up of 55% fructose and 45% glucose. On the surface, this slight increase in percent fructose may not seem to make a big difference, but over time, the consumption of excess fructose can have a negative effect on your metabolism.

Metabolic Differences

Glucose is broken down in many areas of the body, while fructose is primarily metabolized in the liver. Glycolysis, the biological process that converts sugar to energy, functions slightly differently for glucose molecules than for fructose molecules. When fructose enters the glycolytic pathway, it skips an important step, throwing off our body's natural system of checks and balances. Doing so causes the liver to uptake more sugar than it normally would when processing glucose.³

Uses

Both sweeteners are used worldwide in everyday food consumption. Although they both sweeten foods and beverages, cane sugar is more typically used for baking and cooking purposes, while HFCS is generally found in soft drinks and processed foods. 

Health Concerns

The American diet has normalized excess sugar consumption, and sugar intake has become a serious public health issue.  Whether it’s in the form of added sugars from processed foods like sugar-sweetened beverages or sugar from natural sources like tropical fruits, excess dietary sugar has been associated with conditions like overweight and obesity, metabolic syndrome, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.⁴

While all sugar intake should be limited, it’s important to be especially careful of the fructose content of the foods we consume. Fructose has similar health effects as glucose but with the added concern of taxing our livers. In fact, over the last three decades, as our sugar intake has increased, the rate of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease has increased by 50%.⁵

Cane Sugar vs High Fructose Corn Syrup: Which Is Healthier?

It’s clear that the overall intake of sugar needs to be monitored, as excess sugar of any kind can negatively affect well-being and health. Whether a food is sweetened with cane sugar or high fructose corn syrup, it’s important to check the nutrition label and be mindful of how much total sugar we’re eating. That being said, the higher content of fructose in HFCS poses added health risks, as it may more readily cause conditions like obesity and fatty liver disease. Whenever possible, opt for sweeteners with lower concentrations of fructose, like maple syrup, honey, or monk fruit.

<div class="pro-tip"><strong>Learn More: </strong><a href=is-high-fructose-corn-syrup-bad-for-you>High Fructose Corn Syrup: 5 Negative Health Effects</a>.</div>