High Fructose Corn Syrup vs. Sugar

So which is healthier? Which should I eat? Should I eat either of them?

                                                                            According to research done by Princeton University  sugar and high fructose corn syrup are have different effects when it comes to weight gain. A study was performed on rats.  It was proven that rats that consumed high fructose corn syrup gained more weight than the rats who consumed table sugar. The calorie intake of the two groups of rats was the same. In the long term the rats that consumed high fructose corn syrup gained much more bodyweight. Scientist Bart Hoebel says they have never seen rats gain so much even on a very high fat diet. The rat consuming high fructose corn syrup gained 48% more weight than they did on a normal diet.  They believe this proves that there is a difference between the two. Below is the link to the study:

http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S26/91/22K07/

According To the CDC since high fructose corn syrup was introduced into the food market the obesity levels in America have gone up immensely in 1970 around 15% of the people in the United states were obese today it's around 33.3%. It's estimated that Americans consume 60 pounds of high fructose corn syrup each year.

Obesity Rates in Ameri

  This much corn syrup according to the study will lead to obesity. Obesity then can lead to other problems including heart disease, type two diabetes and many other issues caused by being overweight. According to grist.org the fructose which is what causes obesity is close to the same level 50% in sugar and 55% in high fructose corn syrup. High fructose corn syrup and sugar have a lot in common but they also have quite a few differences. According to the rat study done by Princeton University high fructose corn syrup is worse for you than sugar because of the fact that it contributes to obesity and obesity contributes too many other diseases. One of the theories right now is that high fructose corn syrup is more chemically unbound then sugar. This might explain why high fructose corn syrup seems to cause obesity faster than sugar thou the fructose levels are close to the same. Another theory is that high fructose corn syrup can cause health issues because of its synthetic makeup.  If we look at the makeup of high fructose corn syrup different concerns arise. Some say that because of the ways our bodies handle high fructose corn syrup it limits the amount of the hormone Leptin, which tells the body meet had enough to eat, therefore causing us to eat more than necessary. Another issue caused by high fructose corn syrup is that  it is sweeter than most other sweeteners so eating large quantities of it causes people to be addicted therefore the eat more sugar than their bodies need. This leads to health problems.

It's still debated whether or not high fructose corn syrup and sugar are that different but one thing that is not debated is it Americans consume way too much sugar. Everybody fusses over high fructose corn syrup but really a major part of the problem is just the sugar. It's estimated that  the average American consumes 150 pounds of sugar per year. That is almost 2 1/2 pounds per day.We don't eat that all in sugar former sugar is a ton of things we eat: Jams, bread, drinks, salad dressing, cookies, crackers and even foods like frozen dinners. 

      

 I believe one of the most important things to do if you try to consume healthier food is cut down on white sugar. Sugar leads to obesity as well which causes many health issues. Americans have started to get a sweet tooth because of all of the sweet stuff we consume. It is become an addiction for many Americans. I believe the most important thing right now is for us to cut down on the amount of sugar, high fructose corn syrup and any other sweetener we are eating. None of it is good for you. Mark Bittman has a great article about this:

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/27/its-the-sugar-folks/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

In conclusion we have a reason to fuss about high fructose corn syrup but we also need to fuss about sugar. The best thing you can do right now is cut down on all of it. The little things make the difference. Do you put sugar in your tea? Put honey instead.  Do you eat really sweet yogurts? Flavor plain yogurt yourself with honey, maple syrup or jam. Do you eat dessert when you are not hungry? Don’t do it!  Try to cut down; it is not just the high fructose corn syrup causing it! 

I would really appreciate any comments or feedback you have!