You may wonder, “what exactly is high fructose corn syrup?” and why am I bothering to write about it. Well, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is in a pleathora of processed foods in the United States. You will find it in crackers, breads, beverages, yogurt, cookies, dressings, soups, and my personal favorite condiment: ketchup. In fact, most sugary products don’t even contain plain sugar anymore, but rather HFCS. The number one source of calories in the U.S. is high fructose corn syrup! Isn’t that insane? If you are an American, it is nearly impossible to avoid. Why is it so popular in the United States? Food manufacturer’s like to use it because high fructose corn syrup is sweeter and cheaper to use than plain old sugar. It’s basically all about saving money.
First introduced to our diet in the 1960′s, many scientific articles and news reports have noted since 1980, that obesity rates have climbed at a rate remarkably similar to that of high-fructose corn syrup consumption. Now, that could be because we are simply eating more sugary products than we used to. HFCS is typically 55% fructose and 45% glucose, only slightly more fructose than refined white sugar. However, that is not exactly where I think the problem lies. Are there hidden side-effects caused by eating high fructose corn syrup that are yet to be discovered?
HFCS - Chemistry gone wrong?
High fructose corn syrup is derived from corn (duh!), but it is highly processsed to the point that I find it completely unnatural. It is not something you could make at home. It is not something that our ancestors ate. It is not something you can readily buy at the grocery store to add to your favorite cookie recipe. (thank goodness). Rather, high fructose corn syrup is something that is created chemically in a lab, and sold to food manufacturers. I believe that the human body has difficulty metabolizing artificially produced products – our bodies don’t know what to do with it, and readily store it as fat. Some researchers suggest that it is converted to fat in our bodies far more rapidly than any other sugar, because the fructose is consumed in a liquid form. Others go as far as calling it “poison“. Recent studies found Mercury in HFCS, and Mercury is a well-known poison to the body!
More research needs to be done on high fructose corn syrup before I would consider it safe, especially considering the study in which HFCS caused the hearts of female rats to expand until they burst! I believe that there is much more to be discovered about the dangers and side-effects of high fructose corn syrup, but here is a partial list of some of the scary side-effects that have already been linked to high fructose corn syrup:
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Cirrhosis of the liver
- Cancer
- Hypertension
- Atherosclerosis
While I do not know of a study that out and out confirms any of these high fructose syrup side effects, such as HFCS causing obesity, the mere possibility is enough to keep it out of my cabinet! To find “processed” food products that do not contain high fructose corn syrup, you must generally shop in the “organic” section of your supermarket. Yes, you can even find HFCS-free ketchup! My favorite brand of bread that doesn’t contain high fructose corn syrup is Orowheat or Franz bread (select varieties). Check out this small list of products that you can substitue for products containing HFCS. Just read the labels. It only takes a second, and you may be doing your body a favor. Dieting is easier when you love the food. Get delicious meals shipped to your door - It’s a proven strategy that works!
SOURCES:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/02/business/yourmoney/02syrup.html?_r=2&pagewanted=all
http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2008/dec2008_Metabolic-Dangers-of-High-Fructose-Corn-Syrup_01.htm
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/26/AR2009012601831.html
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Read the label?? Some labels don’t list HFCS they simply say sugar. Peanut butter is a good example. I could only find one that said sugar. Then a few years ago they all said sugar. When I called the companies on it they said it was in compliance and only had to list sugar and did not have to listHFCS even though it was HFCS!!