The dangers of high fructose corn syrup

A recent Princeton University study (HT: Slashdot) would seem to debunk the recent ad campaigns by the corn industry that HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) is just the same thing as sugar, only repackaged. This study showed that rats, given the same amount of calories, became significantly more obese when those calories came from HFCS rather than from sucrose (table sugar).

I can't remember where I saw it now, but I remember watching a documentary piece which attempted to show just the opposite - that HFCS is virtually identical to sucrose. They did this by showing that the levels of fructose and glucose in the two substances are virtually the same, and that, therefore, they must act the same in our bodies. However, almost in the same breath, they added that HFCS behaved differently in the consistency of the product produced, making more appealing to food manufacturers. I remember thinking at the time that they can't have it both ways -- either it's the same as sugar, or it's not.

This study seems to make it clear: it's not. Wendy and I are making a concerted effort to avoid HFCS whenever possible, but that' surprisingly difficult.