Does consumption of high fructose corn syrup, as compared
to sucrose, reduce the ability of the body
to produce insulin?
No. Both have essentially the same effect on
insulin production.
Insulin is largely responsible for the uptake of
glucose into cells and the lowering of blood sugar.
All caloric sweeteners trigger an insulin response
to a greater or lesser extent. Among common
sweeteners, pure glucose triggers the greatest
insulin release, while pure fructose triggers the
least. Both sucrose (table sugar) and high fructose corn syrup trigger
about the same intermediate insulin release
because they contain nearly equal amounts of
glucose and fructose. (12)
It is very rare for pure fructose to be consumed alone
in the diet. Fructose is usually consumed together
with glucose, as it is in high fructose corn syrup, sucrose (table sugar)
and honey. It is important to remember that no
matter the source of the ingredients—whether
from sucrose or HFCS—the human body produces
insulin in response to the whole meal consumed.
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