There doesn’t appear to be any difference between the negative effects of high fructose corn syrup and table sugar on body fat, blood pressure, blood sugars, triglycerides, or cholesterol, but high-fructose corn syrup did appear to be more pro-inflammatory.
Mercury in High Fructose Corn Syrup
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Below is an approximation of this video’s audio content. To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video.
Whether you feed people honey, table sugar, or high-fructose corn syrup, you see similarly negative metabolic effects. A meta-analysis of all such studies found there didn’t appear to be any difference between the negative effects of high-fructose corn syrup and table sugar on body fat, blood pressure, blood sugars, triglycerides, or cholesterol. But high-fructose corn syrup did appear to be more pro-inflammatory.
One thing that sets apart corn syrup from sugar is mercury, detected in about half the samples of high-fructose corn syrup analyzed. In terms of diet, mercury is routinely detected in fish. But it’s also found in other meat, like poultry, because farmers routinely feed fishmeal to chickens. But how is mercury getting into corn syrup? Everything you wanted to know, but were afraid to ask. It turns out mercury can enter the corn sweetener product line in one of two ways: the use of mercury-processed chemicals in the manufacturing process, or the intentional addition of mercury-containing chemicals. Either way, does it actually make it into the consumer?
Researchers looked at 50 different brands of foods containing corn syrup, from soda pop to Pop-Tarts, Yoplait yogurt, jelly. The results? About 30 percent were contaminated with detectable levels of mercury. Enough to be harmful? With the average daily consumption of corn syrup, and how much mercury they found, the potential average daily total mercury exposure from high-fructose corn syrup could range from zero to 28 mcg. This range can be compared to the range of total mercury exposure from those silvery dental amalgam mercury fillings we get for cavities. Canada and other countries recommend against the use of mercury amalgam in pregnant women or children, as does the United States as of 2020.
Of course, a single can of tuna can have as much mercury as a whole cup (240 ml) of high-fructose corn syrup. But still, we probably shouldn’t let our kids become children of the corn. Given its mercury contamination, one could argue that high-fructose corn syrup is worse than sugar. But both are bad for us. They are both just empty calories—calories with zero nutrition.
Check out this classic sugar industry ad: “If sugar is so fattening, how come so many kids are thin?” That certainly can’t be said anymore. The tagline? “Sugar. It isn’t just good flavor; it’s good food.” As unbelievable as that one was, this is my favorite: “Mary is a busy girl. She needs sugar in her life. For energy.” She needs energyless, artificial sweetened foods and beverages like a turtle needs a seatbelt. “… 18 calories per teaspoon and it’s all energy.” That’s the problem! Only the sugar industry could take its greatest weakness—empty calories—and try to spin it into something good.
“Note to Mothers: Play safe with your young ones—make sure they get sugar every day.” I couldn’t make this up. I mean, can you imagine the meat industry coming out and saying something like “Eat lard?” Yes, I imagine you can. Another actual ad, though dated, with a message brought to you “in conjunction with the Department of Health.” They are, in fact, happy because “They eat lard.”
Please consider volunteering to help out on the site.
- Raatz SK, Johnson LK, Picklo MJ. Consumption of honey, sucrose, and high-fructose corn syrup produces similar metabolic effects in glucose-tolerant and -intolerant individuals. J Nutr. 2015;145(10):2265-2272.
- Li X, Luan Y, Li Y, et al. The effect of high-fructose corn syrup vs. sucrose on anthropometric and metabolic parameters: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Nutr. 2022;9:1013310.
- Dufault R, LeBlanc B, Schnoll R, et al. Mercury from chlor-alkali plants: measured concentrations in food product sugar. Environ Health. 2009;8:2.
- Fulgoni V. High-fructose corn syrup: everything you wanted to know, but were afraid to ask. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008;88(6):1715S.
- Dufault RJ, Wolle MM, Kingston HMS, Gilbert SG, Murray JA. Connecting inorganic mercury and lead measurements in blood to dietary sources of exposure that may impact child development. World J Methodol. 2021;11(4):144-159.
- Wallinga D, Sorensen J, Mottl P, Yablon B. Not so sweet: missing mercury and high fructose corn syrup. Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy. 2009.
- Shuren J. FDA issues recommendations for certain high-risk groups regarding mercury-containing dental amalgam. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. September 24, 2020.
Motion graphics by Avo Media
Below is an approximation of this video’s audio content. To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video.
Whether you feed people honey, table sugar, or high-fructose corn syrup, you see similarly negative metabolic effects. A meta-analysis of all such studies found there didn’t appear to be any difference between the negative effects of high-fructose corn syrup and table sugar on body fat, blood pressure, blood sugars, triglycerides, or cholesterol. But high-fructose corn syrup did appear to be more pro-inflammatory.
One thing that sets apart corn syrup from sugar is mercury, detected in about half the samples of high-fructose corn syrup analyzed. In terms of diet, mercury is routinely detected in fish. But it’s also found in other meat, like poultry, because farmers routinely feed fishmeal to chickens. But how is mercury getting into corn syrup? Everything you wanted to know, but were afraid to ask. It turns out mercury can enter the corn sweetener product line in one of two ways: the use of mercury-processed chemicals in the manufacturing process, or the intentional addition of mercury-containing chemicals. Either way, does it actually make it into the consumer?
Researchers looked at 50 different brands of foods containing corn syrup, from soda pop to Pop-Tarts, Yoplait yogurt, jelly. The results? About 30 percent were contaminated with detectable levels of mercury. Enough to be harmful? With the average daily consumption of corn syrup, and how much mercury they found, the potential average daily total mercury exposure from high-fructose corn syrup could range from zero to 28 mcg. This range can be compared to the range of total mercury exposure from those silvery dental amalgam mercury fillings we get for cavities. Canada and other countries recommend against the use of mercury amalgam in pregnant women or children, as does the United States as of 2020.
Of course, a single can of tuna can have as much mercury as a whole cup (240 ml) of high-fructose corn syrup. But still, we probably shouldn’t let our kids become children of the corn. Given its mercury contamination, one could argue that high-fructose corn syrup is worse than sugar. But both are bad for us. They are both just empty calories—calories with zero nutrition.
Check out this classic sugar industry ad: “If sugar is so fattening, how come so many kids are thin?” That certainly can’t be said anymore. The tagline? “Sugar. It isn’t just good flavor; it’s good food.” As unbelievable as that one was, this is my favorite: “Mary is a busy girl. She needs sugar in her life. For energy.” She needs energyless, artificial sweetened foods and beverages like a turtle needs a seatbelt. “… 18 calories per teaspoon and it’s all energy.” That’s the problem! Only the sugar industry could take its greatest weakness—empty calories—and try to spin it into something good.
“Note to Mothers: Play safe with your young ones—make sure they get sugar every day.” I couldn’t make this up. I mean, can you imagine the meat industry coming out and saying something like “Eat lard?” Yes, I imagine you can. Another actual ad, though dated, with a message brought to you “in conjunction with the Department of Health.” They are, in fact, happy because “They eat lard.”
Please consider volunteering to help out on the site.
- Raatz SK, Johnson LK, Picklo MJ. Consumption of honey, sucrose, and high-fructose corn syrup produces similar metabolic effects in glucose-tolerant and -intolerant individuals. J Nutr. 2015;145(10):2265-2272.
- Li X, Luan Y, Li Y, et al. The effect of high-fructose corn syrup vs. sucrose on anthropometric and metabolic parameters: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Nutr. 2022;9:1013310.
- Dufault R, LeBlanc B, Schnoll R, et al. Mercury from chlor-alkali plants: measured concentrations in food product sugar. Environ Health. 2009;8:2.
- Fulgoni V. High-fructose corn syrup: everything you wanted to know, but were afraid to ask. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008;88(6):1715S.
- Dufault RJ, Wolle MM, Kingston HMS, Gilbert SG, Murray JA. Connecting inorganic mercury and lead measurements in blood to dietary sources of exposure that may impact child development. World J Methodol. 2021;11(4):144-159.
- Wallinga D, Sorensen J, Mottl P, Yablon B. Not so sweet: missing mercury and high fructose corn syrup. Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy. 2009.
- Shuren J. FDA issues recommendations for certain high-risk groups regarding mercury-containing dental amalgam. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. September 24, 2020.
Motion graphics by Avo Media
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Mercury in High Fructose Corn Syrup
LicenseCreative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)
Content URLDoctor's Note
For more on heavy metals, see:
- How to Lower Heavy Metal Levels with Diet
- Heavy Metal Urine Testing and Chelation for Autism
- Heavy Metals in Protein Powder Supplements
- CDC Report on Environmental Chemical Exposure
- Mercury vs. Omega-3s for Brain Development
- Lead Contamination in Bone Broth
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