The sweet, the bad and the ugly
Although both sucrose and HFCS contain four calories per gram, some research suggests that HFCS promotes obesity. Much of the outcry comes from the fact that the beginning of the obesity epidemic coincides with the introduction of HFCS into the food supply. Since 1970, our consumption of HFCS has increased by 1,000 percent At the same time, our waistlines have also expanded--though,, thank goodness not by that much!

Some scientists believe that HFCS acts like a fat in our body more than a sugar because it might trigger mechanisms that promote body-fat storage. Fructose is more easily converted to fat and increases the amount of triglycerides in our bloodstream. Triglycerides are a type of fat that are easily stored as body fat, so the more triglycerides we have circling around, theoretically the more weight we'll gain.

Some researchers even believe that HFCS not only makes us fatter, but it can also potentially increase our risk of developing type 2 diabetes. 

What we recommend
Take these steps to limit both sucrose and HFCS, and your waistline will thank you:

• Swap soda or other sweetened beverages for water or mineral water. Each 12-ounce can of soda contains at least 10 teaspoons of sugar, the amount we should consume in one entire day.
• Choose breakfast cereals with no more than 8 grams of sugar (that's two teaspoons' worth).
• Replace candy, cookies and other sweet snacks with a food that's naturally sweet: fruit.