Michael Pollan and his followers seem to be having a powerful influence on the market for high fructose corn syrup . I think the negative sentiment is somewhat misdirected. Here's the money quote: “I’m no fan of the Corn Refiners Association, but in this case they have biochemistry on their side,” says Marion Nestle, a professor of nutrition at New York University who has campaigned against unhealthy foods marketed to children. The problem isn't that we eat too much corn syrup; the problem is too much fructose and glucose consumption in all its forms. Put another way, if it weren't for high tariffs on cane sugar imports that exceed imposed quotas, we'd probably eat a lot less corn syrup, but more than make up the difference with consumption of cane sugar. Sugar would be generally be cheaper overall, so we'd consume more, and be even fatter and more diabetic than we currently are. There are lot of reasons to push against the corn refiners association.