Myth: "High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is worse for you than sugar" High-fructose corn syrup was created to mimic sucrose (table sugar), so its composition is almost identical to sucrose's (55 percent fructose 45 percent glucose; with sucrose the ratio is 50:50). Calorie-wise, it's a dead ringer for sucrose. And in studies that compare the effects of HFCS with other sweeteners, HFCS and sucrose have very similar effects on blood levels of insulin, glucose, triglycerides and satiety hormones. In short, it seems to be no worse--but also no better--than sucrose, or table sugar. Epidemiological studies show that consuming large amounts of added sweeteners--primarily in sodas and other sweetened drinks--is associated with greater risk of fatty liver disease, insulin resistance, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. And it's not just the extra calories they provide that may be hurting us; research by Stanhope and others suggests that fructose itself in added sugars ...