Crystalline Fructose

[Kaido]

I recently cut out High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) from my diet because it was the cause of my constant headaches (even the HFCS in store-bought bread). Recently came across a derivative called "Crystalline Fructose" and thought I'd throw it out here for discussion. Basically it's the same as HFCS (processed corn syrup), but instead of being ~55% fructose, it's about 98% fructose while being about 20% sweeter than table sugar (Wikipedia says it can shave up to 20-30 calories off from a 12oz bottled drink). From a bit of googling, it seems that it's just a smokescreen for a super-fructose version of HFCS. Here's some reading:

What is Crystalline Fructose?

Wikipedia Entry

23 "Health" Drinks that contain Crystalline Fructose (including Vitamin Water!)

Just thought I'd share 🙂

 

[Redfraggle]

To me, the name implies it's just a more concentrated form of the ingredient we're trying to avoid. Corn refiners clearly don't like the public wanting to avoid it, so they've found something else to call it, and another way to use it. I think sugar, in general, is way overused in foods.

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: Redfraggle
To me, the name implies it's just a more concentrated form of the ingredient we're trying to avoid. Corn refiners clearly don't like the public wanting to avoid it, so they've found something else to call it, and another way to use it. I think sugar, in general, is way overused in foods.

For me, it boils down to allergies - I recently discovered that I'm allergic to HFCS. It gives me a headache on the right side of my head within 5 minutes of eating it, every time, no matter what it's in - soda, bread, whatever. I'm much more careful about selecting foods now that I've finally identified the culprit of the headaches :thumbsup:

 

[Redfraggle]

I knew somebody else allergic to HFCS. It still strikes me as an odd allergy, but not totally uncommon. Glad you've found the cause. It'll probably help you eat better too. I'd just make more of my own food from scratch (which I do a lot of now anyway) to avoid such a thing if I felt the need.

 

[uclaLabrat]

Oh hell the first article was horrible, and show a pathetic understanding of chemistry, biochemistry, and metabolism. The ADA report from the wickipedia link was much more informative. Basically, it's sweeter, which allows you to use less sugar and thus reduce caloric intake. Win-win. The whole HFCS hype is entirely overblown.

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: Redfraggle
I knew somebody else allergic to HFCS. It still strikes me as an odd allergy, but not totally uncommon. Glad you've found the cause. It'll probably help you eat better too. I'd just make more of my own food from scratch (which I do a lot of now anyway) to avoid such a thing if I felt the need.

It's weird because I can have corn syrup, but not high-fructose corn syrup. Identifying the dairy allergy a year ago got rid of my migraines, but it wasn't until I identified the HFCS thing a few weeks ago that I've gotten rid of the near-daily headaches. I'm already used to checking labels when I go grocery shopping, so it's not any harder to look for HFCS on the label 🙂

 

[Howard]

Can you eat sugary fruits?

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: Howard
Can you eat sugary fruits?

Can I? Yes. Fwiw, corn syrup doesn't seem to bother me one bit, just HFCS.

 

[Redfraggle]

It must be a mild allergy, and that's why only HFCS does it? Unless there's some chemical involved in the process that is the problem.

 

[uclaLabrat]

Doesn't make any sense at all...sucrose is a dimer of glucose and fructose. So table sugar is 50% glucose and 50% fructose, the same ratios found in HFCS.

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: Redfraggle
It must be a mild allergy, and that's why only HFCS does it? Unless there's some chemical involved in the process that is the problem.

afaik it only induces headaches. I would constantly get headaches before, then I cut out HFCS a couple weeks ago and they're completely gone. I always attributed them to lack of sleep or allergies to unknown substances, now I know. But I have other allergies too (dairy, etc.) so no biggie. But a surprising amount of "healthy" stuff has HFCS in it, like my local store-brand whole-wheat bread :Q