The subject of high fructose corn syrup and fructose often come up regarding our supplements. Our science/medical team suggests the following points for discussion if this subject is raised.
High fructose corn syrup is NOT used as a sweetner in our Isotonix® product line and is not the same as fructose.
High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a polymer (very large and branched molecule) that contains glucose and fructose. It is used too frequently and in excessive quantities by the food and beverage industry to provide increased sweetness. It is this over-use by these industries and over-consumption by consumers that has contributed significantly to obesity and blood sugar metabolic challenges.
In contrast, our fructose (a simple sugar or monosaccharide) sweetener is NOT high fructose corn syrup. It is a United States Pharmacopoeia (USP) grade of an ultra pure form of fructose used in very small amounts for Isotonix formulations for a variety of reasons and benefits:
- Fructose is a good bulking agent for the uniform dispersal of nutrients in Isotonix formulations.
- Fructose has a lower glycemic index than glucose, and has fewer calories (~ 4 calories/gram) per unit serving — most servings of Isotonix products are 10 calories or less.
- Fructose has a better flavor profile than table sugar (sucrose), is approximately 1.2 – 1.4 times sweeter, and covers numerous off-tastes from minerals, metals, vitamins, proanthocyanidins found in many Isotonix formulations.
- When the proper volume of water is added to the Isotonix powder, the solution becomes isotonic.
We hope these points help you understand and communicate clearly why very small amounts of pure fructose are important in Isotonix formulations.
Courtesy of Nutrametrix a division of Market America.
