How the diets react
Diet Ratings
Pure liquid sugar with zero fiber. Approximately 17g net carbs per tablespoon. Directly triggers insulin spike and prevents ketosis. No nutritional value for keto.
Corn syrup is plant-derived and technically vegan, but heavily processed and nutritionally poor. Some vegans avoid it due to potential bone char filtration in sugar refining, though corn syrup itself typically avoids this process.
Some strict vegans avoid corn syrup due to concerns about processing methods and cross-contamination with animal products in manufacturing facilities.
Corn syrup is a refined sugar derived from corn (a grain). It is highly processed, not available to Paleolithic humans, and violates core paleo principles against refined sugars and grains.
Highly processed, refined sugar product with no nutritional value. Directly contradicts Mediterranean diet principles which minimize added sugars and processed foods.
Plant-derived refined sugar with zero nutritional value. Directly contradicts carnivore principles of whole animal foods only. Inflammatory and metabolically harmful.
Corn syrup is added sugar and explicitly excluded from Whole30. It is a processed sweetener derived from corn and violates the program's core principle of eliminating added sugars.
Corn syrup is high in glucose and fructose. Monash testing confirms excess fructose (fructose:glucose ratio >1) makes this a high-FODMAP sweetener at any reasonable serving.
High added sugar with no nutritional value. Contradicts DASH emphasis on limiting sweets and added sugars. Contributes to hypertension risk through metabolic effects.
Pure refined sugar with extremely high glycemic index. No nutritional value, causes rapid insulin spike. Fundamentally incompatible with Zone macronutrient balance and anti-inflammatory principles.
Refined sugar with high glycemic index, no nutritional value. Promotes inflammation through blood sugar dysregulation and insulin response. Explicitly avoided in anti-inflammatory diet.
Pure sugar with zero nutritional density, zero protein, zero fiber. Causes rapid blood sugar spikes, counteracts GLP-1 mechanism, and provides empty calories that displace nutrient-dense foods. GLP-1 patients have reduced appetite — every calorie must count.
Controversy Index
Score range: 1–5/10. Higher controversy = more disagreement between diets.