Extract:
High Fructose Corn Syrup
Lately, there has been a lot of discussion—within the medical community as well as across the kitchen table—about the supposed harmful effects that high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has on the human body. Many people wonder if its use as a sweetener is contributing to the population’s overall rate of obesity.
In the late 1970s, many of the largest food manufacturers in the United States shifted away from using refined table sugar to using the much cheaper HFCS. Soon HFCS was used to sweeten many products including cereal, steak sauce, soft drinks, bread, baked beans, and yogurt.
Table sugar and HFCS share a similar biochemical structure: both contain the simple sugars glucose and fructose, though HFCS is produced from corn and undergoes additional processing to increase the amount of fructose.
The American Medical Association does not take the view that one sweetener is better or worse than another. However, researchers at Princeton University have recently released a study showing that rats who consumed HFCS gained more weight, especially in the abdominal area, than rats who consumed table sugar.
Other medical professionals say that more research is needed before conclusive results can be drawn. Meanwhile, nearly everyone can agree that both table sugar and HFCS are high in calories—nearly 50 per tablespoon—and that neither form of sweetener provides any measurable nutritional value.
What is the author’s primary purpose in writing this essay?
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A
To inform
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B
To persuade
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C
To entertain
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D
To analyze
The author's primary purpose is to inform readers about the current scientific discussion surrounding HFCS, presenting multiple perspectives without advocating a specific position.
A) To inform
The author neutrally presents factual information: historical adoption of HFCS by food manufacturers, biochemical composition comparisons, AMA's neutral stance, Princeton rat study findings, and the shared caloric density of sweeteners. No persuasive language, personal anecdotes, or evaluative judgments appear—only objective reporting of established facts and ongoing research.
B) To persuade
Persuasive writing employs rhetorical devices, emotional appeals, or explicit recommendations to influence reader behavior. This passage maintains strict neutrality—presenting both the obesity concern and the AMA's noncommittal position without urging readers to avoid HFCS or choose alternatives.
C) To entertain
Entertainment requires narrative elements, humor, vivid imagery, or engaging storytelling absent from this clinical, straightforward presentation of nutritional science. The tone remains academic rather than engaging or amusing.
D) To analyze
Analysis involves breaking down components to examine relationships, causes, or implications. While the author presents information that could be analyzed, they don't perform the analysis themselves—merely reporting research findings without interpreting their significance or drawing conclusions.
Conclusion
The passage functions as an informational overview of the HFCS debate—synthesizing historical context, biochemical facts, institutional positions, and research findings into a cohesive educational summary without persuasion, entertainment, or analytical interpretation.