Butter made a comeback. As did bacon, eggs, red meat (or is the jury still out?) and several other "unhealthy" foodstuffs that had been kicked to our collective curb. 

All of them once made headlines as "bad foods," linked to heart disease and other ills. All of them have been — more or less — redeemed. We'll live to fight another day, we're told, as long as we consume these items in moderation. 

Now its sugar's turn. Food conglomerates are re-packaging sugar as "retro" and hoping that consumers take the bait. It has replaced high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in all kinds of processed foods, from Pizza Hut's Natural line to Con Agra's Healthy Choice frozen foods. (Am I the only one who thinks sugar has no place on pepperoni pizza?)

In any case, these companies are capitalizing on the perception that sugar is no longer Public Enemy No. 1, while HFCS becomes increasingly vilified. 

In recent years, the increased use of HFCS has been cited as a reason for the rise in obesity, diabetes, and hyperactivity. But, in terms of healthfulness, how does sugar actually stack up against HFCS?

According to a recent article in the New York Times [1], scientists aren't ready to take a side. Truth is, the experts quoted in the article are unwilling to champion either one.  

As a pediatric endocrinologist noted in the article: "The argument about which is better for you, sucrose or HFCS, is garbage. Both are equally bad for your health.” 

Both are also made from a mix of glucose and fructose. Both (at least according to the Food and Drug Administration) are natural. And both are have launched multi-million dollar ad campaigns to convince the general public that one is healthier than the other. 

Still, food conglomerates are launching "retro" products that list sugar on the label, rather than HFCS. Mountain Dew Throwback, for example, is one of these "retro" drinks that have rolled onto supermarket shelves.

In the wake of these public relations wars, nutrition experts are worried that the public has gotten the wrong message. 

The right message, I suspect, is that it's unhealthy to consume excess amounts of either sugar or HFCS. 

But both are fine. As long as they're consumed in moderation.