Researchers at Princeton University have found out more negative about high fructose corn syrup (HFCS- as if there weren’t enough bad about it already). It seems that HFCS is a lot worse than regular table sugar as far as weight gain is concerned.
The Princeton study used rats, and the group of rats that had access to the HFCS gained a lot more weight than the group of rats that had regular sugar- even as both groups’ calorie allotment was the same. Another study done by the same group found that too much HFCS in the diet leads to increases in body fat and triglycerides, as well as higher rates of obesity.
Fructose doesn’t spike the appetite like glucose does, so if a food contains a lot fructose (such as HFCS), it can greatly contribute to obesity and related conditions like diabetes. According to some research, flooding the liver with excess fructose can induce high uric acid production, which can lead to gout in some people.*
*Gaby AR. Adverse effects of dietary fructose. Altern Med Rev. 2005 Dec;10(4):294-306.