The New York Times Pimps for High Fructose Corn Syrup

It’s bad enough that the Corn Refiners Association (CRA) is trying to fool the public by changing the name of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) to “corn sugar”. But whenThe New York Timesproduces an editorial supporting the change, parrots the industry’s mendacious claims, and implies that it’s beneficial to consumers, then we have a new definition of what it means to be a pimp.

In the cutely titled editorial, An -Ose Is an -Ose, the Times makes a dangerously false statement. They claim that “when metabolized, high-fructose corn syrup is no different than sucrose.” This is frighteningly wrong. While it’s true that sugar is harmful, it doesn’t hold a candle to the damage done by HFCS.

HFCS has been strongly linked to the current obesity crisis. The body doesn’t metablize it the same way as sugar. It doesn’t produce the signal that quells hunger. It’s strongly linked to kidney disease and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD),^(1,2) a chronic condition that leads to cirrhosis, hepatitis, and can end in death. It’s also related to the onset of type 2 diabetes. (If that doesn’t have you reading labels in the grocery store, then nothing will!)

In the face of this information—readily available from reliable sources on the internet—the Times claims that there’s no difference between the metabolism of sugar and HFCS!

Because the health damage produced by HFCS is becoming fairly well known and is having a significantly negative impact on sales, the Corn Refiners Association has petitioned the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to allow a name change to “corn sugar”. It’s obvious that the goal is to mislead the public into believing there’s no difference between sugar and HFCS.

The Times spins this by stating, “Calling high-fructose corn syrup ‘corn sugar’ makes it easier for consumers to tell that sugar has been added—and easier to choose another product with no added sweeteners.”

Any suggestion that high fructose corn syrup was given that name by accident is, at best, naive. It isn’t the same thing as corn syrup. It was named and marketed for that difference—and that difference is significant.

HFCS is made from corn syrup by processing it with enzymes. The process converts sucrose, which is real sugar, into fructose, which is significantly sweeter. It’s then combined with real corn syrup and sold as HFCS.

Another pimp for HFCS, the American Medical Association, acknowledges…

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