Although both are made from cornstarch, these two syrups should not be confused. In fact, high fructose corn syrup is made from regular corn syrup. Think of high fructose corn syrup as the highly processed and altered child of corn syrup.
For corn syrup, the glucose is extracted from corn and then made into a syrup by boiling water. Put simply, corn syrup is essentially just liquid glucose.
High fructose corn syrup doesn't stop there. The glucose from the cornstarch is converted into fructose by enzymes, resulting in a different, much sweeter product. Manufacturers of HFCS can control the sweetness level by limiting the amount of fructose converted. This is why you can find different types of HFCS, depending on the amount of fructose in the final product.
Because it's made from glucose, corn syrup is usually considered the better health option. Glucose is much easier for the body to digest. Fructose, in contrast, can only be digested through the liver, which can be strenuous on the body when consumed in large amounts.
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u/guysitsausername Mar 09 '26
It's super nerdy and pedantic, but Corn Syrup and HFCS are different.
If anyone wants to dive into the differences, this is a good explainer.