Corn Syrup: A Natural Laxative Or Not?

Corn syrup, a food syrup made from corn/maize starch, has been used as a home remedy for constipation. It was once a common treatment for infant constipation, but medical authorities no longer recommend it. While corn syrup has a laxative effect due to its impact on the intestines, commercially prepared dark corn syrup today has a different chemical structure, making it ineffective for treating constipation. Karo, a popular brand of corn syrup, may pose health risks for young children.

Corn syrup as a laxative for adults

Corn syrup is a food syrup made from corn/maize starch and contains varying amounts of glucose, maltose, and higher oligosaccharides. It is used in foods to soften their texture, add volume, prevent the crystallisation of sugar, and enhance flavour.

Corn syrup was once a common home remedy for constipation in infants. It was added to their bottles to stimulate a bowel movement. However, medical authorities no longer consider this treatment effective for infants or adults.

Today, commercially prepared dark corn syrup has a different chemical structure and no longer contains the chemical elements that once served to draw liquid into the intestines and soften stool.

Karo, a brand of corn syrup, is a popular home remedy for constipation. It has a laxative effect due to the action of corn syrup in the intestines. Certain sugar proteins in corn syrup help to lock moisture into stools, preventing them from drying out and compacting.

However, Karo syrup is made from genetically modified corn and is unsterilised, meaning it contains bacteria that can cause botulism in younger children and infants.

While corn syrup may have a laxative effect, it is not a suitable remedy for children.

Corn syrup as a laxative for infants

Corn syrup was once a common home remedy for infant constipation. It was added to an infant's bottle to prompt a bowel movement. However, medical authorities no longer consider this treatment effective for infants or adults.

Dark corn syrup was once used to treat constipation in infants because it contained a large number of sugar proteins that helped to lock moisture into stools, preventing them from drying out and compacting. However, the formula for commercially prepared dark corn syrup has changed over the years, and it is no longer an effective treatment for constipation.

Today, corn syrup is not recommended as a treatment for infant constipation because it is not sterile and may contain harmful levels of bacteria called Clostridium botulinum (C. botulinum), which can cause botulism. In addition, corn syrup may increase the risk of dental cavities in older infants.

Instead of using corn syrup, small dietary changes are recommended to treat and prevent constipation in infants. If your baby is old enough to eat solid foods, adding more fresh fruit or fiber-rich foods is often enough to soften the stool. Increasing the intake of nutritious fluids and avoiding cow's milk may also be helpful for older infants. If your baby seems constipated, it is important to contact their doctor for advice.

The chemical composition of corn syrup

Corn syrup is made from the starch of corn or maize and contains varying amounts of sugars: glucose, maltose and higher oligosaccharides, depending on the grade. The more general term glucose syrup is often used synonymously with corn syrup, as glucose syrup in the United States is most commonly made from corn starch.

Corn syrup is produced from number 2 yellow dent corn. When wet milled, about 2.3 litres of corn are required to yield an average of 947g of starch, to produce 1 kg of glucose syrup. A bushel (25 kg) of corn will yield an average of 31.5 pounds (14.3 kg) of starch, which in turn will yield about 33.3 pounds (15.1 kg) of syrup. Thus, it takes about 2,300 litres of corn to produce a tonne of glucose syrup, or 60 bushels (1524 kg) of corn to produce one short ton.

The viscosity and sweetness of the syrup depend on the extent to which the hydrolysis reaction has been carried out. To distinguish different grades of syrup, they are rated according to their dextrose equivalent (DE). Most commercially available corn syrups are approximately 1/3 glucose by weight.

The process of making corn syrup was invented by the German chemist Gottlieb Kirchhoff in 1811. First, the enzyme α-amylase is added to a mixture of corn starch and water. The enzyme breaks down the starch into oligosaccharides, which are then broken into glucose molecules by adding the enzyme glucoamylase. The glucose can then be transformed into fructose by passing the glucose through a column that is loaded with the enzyme D-xylose isomerase.

Two common commercial corn syrup products are light and dark corn syrup. Light corn syrup is seasoned with vanilla flavour and salt, and is a nearly clear colour. Dark corn syrup is a combination of corn syrup and refiner's syrup, caramel colour and flavour, salt, and the preservative sodium benzoate. Its colour is dark brown.

Corn syrup can be further processed into high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) by using the enzyme D-xylose isomerase to convert a large proportion of its glucose into sweeter fructose. HFCS is 24% water, the rest being mainly fructose and glucose with 0–5% unprocessed glucose oligomers. HFCS 42 and HFCS 55 refer to dry weight fructose compositions of 42% and 55% respectively, the rest being glucose.

The history of corn syrup

Corn syrup has been used as a home remedy for constipation, acting as a laxative, although medical authorities no longer recommend this treatment. It is also used in foods to soften texture, add volume, prevent crystallisation of sugar, and enhance flavour.

In 1902, the Corn Products Refining Company introduced bottled corn syrup under the brand name of Karo Syrup. In 1910, the company launched a large advertising campaign, including full-page advertisements in women's magazines and free cookbooks featuring recipes that used Karo. In the 1930s, they promoted a pecan pie recipe that used corn syrup, followed by a similar, nut-free chess pie recipe. Later, Karo was promoted as an alternative to maple syrup for waffles.

In the 1950s, scientists at the Clinton Corn Processing Company of Clinton, Iowa, tried to turn glucose from corn starch into fructose, but the process wasn't scalable. In 1965, Yoshiyuki Takasaki, at the Japanese National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, developed a heat-stable xylose isomerase enzyme from yeast. In 1967, the Clinton Corn Processing Company obtained an exclusive license to manufacture glucose isomerase derived from Streptomyces bacteria and began shipping an early version of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS).

In 1970, HFCS-55 was introduced, which is now the most commonly used sweetener in U.S. soft drinks. In 1980, Coca-Cola began using HFCS in its beverages, and by the mid-1980s, most other soft drink companies had followed suit. In 1983, the FDA accepted HFCS as "generally recognised as safe", and that decision was reaffirmed in 1996.

In 2010, the Corn Refiners Association petitioned the FDA to call HFCS "corn sugar", but the petition was denied. In 2016, McDonald's announced that it would be replacing all HFCS in their buns with sucrose, to please consumers with health concerns.

How to prevent constipation

Corn syrup was once a common home remedy for constipation. However, medical authorities no longer consider it an effective treatment for infants or adults. Today, there are several ways to prevent constipation. Here are some tips to help you get things moving smoothly:

Increase Your Fibre Intake

Fibre-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains improve gut function. Aim for 25 grams of fibre per day if you're a woman and 30 grams if you're a man. Start by introducing more fibre-rich foods into your diet gradually, such as apples, oranges, whole grain breads, and pastas. Snack on nuts and dried fruits, and try to work up to 5-10 grams of fibre at each meal.

Get More Exercise

Regular exercise helps keep stool moving through the colon. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise, such as walking, every day. Any physical activity, even light exercise, can help get your insides moving.

Drink More Water

Staying hydrated is crucial for preventing constipation. Aim for eight glasses of water per day, and try to drink about 2 litres of liquids overall. If you engage in physical activity, be sure to drink even more to compensate for fluid loss. While caffeine can stimulate gut movement, it can also be dehydrating, so it's best to stick mostly to water.

Go When You Feel the Urge

When you feel the urge to go, don't wait. Holding it in can contribute to constipation.

Make Toilet Adjustments

Try using a toilet stool to adjust your position while on the toilet. This can help relax the muscles and open the gut, making it easier for stool to pass. Assume a squat position with knees bent and torso leaned slightly forward, or use a small stepstool to rest your feet on so that your knees are above your hips.

Probiotics and Caffeine

In addition to the above, consuming probiotic foods and drinks containing caffeine can also help with constipation. Probiotics contain beneficial bacteria that can improve the balance of microorganisms in the stomach, aiding digestion. Caffeine stimulates gut movement, so drinking caffeinated coffee can help get things moving.

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