Light Corn Syrup

Introduction *Corn syrup is a syrupy sweetener made using cornstarch as a feedstock. *Corn syrup enhances the flavor, keeps the baked foods soft, moist and fresh for a longer time. *Production: Cornstarch is processed with the enzyme alpha-amylase to produce shorter chains of sugars. Then it is processed with the enzyme glucoamylase to produce simple sugar glucose. This is called pure corn syrup which has 100% glucose. It is further processed with the enzyme glucose isomerase when the glucose is converted to a mixture of glucose (55-58%), fructose (42%) and some other sugars. *This corn syrup is blended with High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) when Light Corn Syrup is produced with fructose content of 55% and glucose content of 45% approximately. *Light corn syrup is most commonly used in soft drinks. *Corn syrup is available in 3 forms - 1. Corn syrup – This has 42% fructose and 55-58% glucose. This is most commonly used for baking purposes. It is mildly sweet. 2. Light corn syrup – It has 55% fructose and 45% glucose and is a mixture of corn syrup and HFCS. This is used in the preparation of soft drinks. This is similar in sweetness to table sugar. 3. Dark corn syrup – This is a mixture of light corn syrup, refiner's syrup, caramel and preservative. It is dark in color and has a stronger flavor. 4. High fructose corn syrup – Has up to 90% fructose and 10% glucose, used in the production of other types of corn syrups. This is very sweet. *Buying and storage: Buy good quality corn syrup. Store in the original container or bottle with cap tightly replaced. Is it raw? No, because it is processed using heat and enzymes. Make sure you read the label. Health Benefits 1. Light corn syrup has 55% fructose and 45% glucose. The calories are exclusively obtained from the sugars – fructose and glucose. 2. It may cause sudden spike of blood sugar levels, so diabetics have to be cautious and use this in moderation. 3. Increased consumption of corn syrup in the form of soft drinks may lead to obesity. 4. Some studies have shown that increased fructose consumption may increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases, insulin resistance and obesity. 5. So as with any other foods, moderation is the key.

Nutritional Information per Serving:   Serving Size 100 g of Light corn syrup   % Daily Requirements   Total Calories 283 14% Calories from carbohydrates 281     Total fat 0.2 g 0% Saturated fat 0 g 0% Trans fat 0 g   Cholesterol 0 g 0%   Total carbohydrate 76.8 g 26% Dietary fiber 0 g 0% Sugars 26.8 g     Protein 0 g 0%   Minerals   Calcium 13 mg 1% Iron 0 mg 0% Magnesium 0 mg 0% Phosphorus 0 mg 0% Potassium 0 mg 0% Sodium 62 mg 3% Zinc 0.4 mg 3% Copper 0 mg 0% Manganese 0 mg 0% Selenium 0.7 mcg 1%   Vitamins   Thiamine 0 mg 0% Riboflavin 0 mg 0% Niacin 0 mg 0% Vitamin B6 0 mg 0% Folic acid 0 mcg 0% Vitamin A 0 IU 0% Vitamin C 0 mg 0% Vitamin D 0 mg 0% Vitamin E 0 mg 0% Vitamin K 0 mcg 0%

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Agave Syrup: *Agave syrup, also called Agave nectar, is a natural sweetener produced from several species of the genus Agave, native to South America and Mexico.

Barley Malt Syrup: *Barley malt syrup is a natural sweetener produced from the sprouted barley.

Brown Rice Syrup: *Brown rice syrup is a natural sweetener produced from fermented cooked rice by treating it naturally with enzymes from sprouted barley.

High Fructose Corn Syrup: *Corn syrup is a syrupy sweetener made using cornstarch as a feedstock.

Light Corn Syrup: *Corn syrup is a syrupy sweetener made using cornstarch as a feedstock.

Date Sugar: *Date sugar is a natural sweetener produced by powdering or grinding the chopped and dried dates. It is not processed.

Dried Cane Juice: *Dried cane juice is a natural sweetener produced by sugar cane juice. It is unprocessed or very minimally processed.

Grenadine Syrup: *Grenadine syrup is a strong red syrup traditionally prepared from pomegranate seeds and honey (or sugar). The word ‘Grenadine' is derived from the French word ‘grenade' meaning pomegranate.

Honey: *Honey is a sweet, viscous, amber colored, natural liquid sweetener produced by the honey bees from the nectar of the flowers.

Jaggery: *Jaggery is a wholesome natural sweetener produced from the sugarcanes, most common in Southeast Asia.

Maple Sugar: *Maple sugar is a natural sweetener made from the sap of maple trees, mainly Acer saccharum (sugar maple) and Acer nigrum (black maple), mostly produced in northeastern North America and Canada.

Maple Syrup: *Maple syrup is amber colored, and is available in different grades – Extra light (AA), Light (A), Medium (B), Amber (C), and Dark (D).

Molasses: *There are three grades of molasses –

(1) Mild – Also called first molasses. It is light amber colored, very sweet, as not much sugar is removed.

(2) Dark – Also called second molasses. It is dark amber colored, sweet with a slightly bitter streak to it.

(3) Black strap – This is the left over liquid after most of the sugar has been extracted. It is dark colored, has a bittersweet taste, and a good amount minerals in it.