Letter to the editor

Dear Editor:

    The May 19 article of "The Cultural Culinarian" may mislead consumers about high fructose corn syrup.
    High fructose corn syrup may have a complicated-sounding name, but it's essentially a corn sugar that is nutritionally the same as table sugar.
    High fructose corn syrup is not sweeter than sugar; high fructose corn syrup, sugar and honey all contain the same number of calories (four calories per gram).
    The American Medical Association in June 2008 helped put to rest misunderstandings about this sweetener and obesity, stating that "high fructose syrup does not appear to contribute to obesity more than other caloric sweeteners."
    Even former critics of high fructose corn syrup dispel long-held myths and distance themselves from earlier speculation about the sweetener's link to obesity as the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition releases its 2008 Vol. 88 supplement's comprehensive scientific review.
    High fructose corn syrup is made from corn, a natural grain product. High fructose corn syrup contains no artificial or synthetic ingredients or color additives and meets the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's requirements for use of the term "natural."
    Consumers can see the latest research and learn more about high fructose corn syrup at www.SweetSurprise.com.
   
Sincerely,
Audrae Erickson
President
Corn Refiners Association