Because of the obesity epidemic, we in
the United States have been hearing a lot about high fructose corn
syrup (HFCS) lately. It's been getting a lot of press, mostly bad.
It seems that some people think it's some sort of Frankenfood that
will eat a hole in your stomach and cause you to hallucinate dancing
babies. Well, not really, but you get the point. But what is
it, exactly? How is it made? Is it something artificial? Is it bad
for you (or, worse than other sweeteners)? Most importantly, is it
safe for your kids? Here are some basic facts.
Like its name suggests, HFCS is a
sweetener that comes from corn rather than sugar cane or honey.
However, because of government subsidies on corn, it's much cheaper
for manufacturers to use.
HFCS has the same sweeteners-fructose
and glucose-found in sugar, has the same number of calories (4 per
gram) and is processed in much the same way. In other words, it's no
more 'artificial' or 'commercialized' than sugar.
The main reason it has been blamed for
the obesity epidemic in many countries is because it came on the
scene in the 1970s, which happened to be the time that obesity rates
started to rise. Studies done by the American Medical Association
and other groups, however, have found that it's no more responsible
for obesity (or Type 2 diabetes, for that matter) than any other kind
of sugar. When you consider that other countries such as Canada or
Australia have also experienced growth in obesity rates but do not
consume anywhere near the amount of HFCS we do, this makes
sense.
The corn HFCS comes from is not
genetically altered to produce it.
Contrary to common-but-kind-of-strange
rumor, HFCS does not cause ADD or ADHD. Too bad, because if it did
you'd be able to 'combat' it simply by cutting down on the sugar your
kids eat or drink. That would be much less expensive than
doctors and drugs, wouldn't it? If only it were that easy.
Its effect on the body's ability to
tell when you're 'full' is no different in HFCS than that of sugar.
Since it has the same sweeteners in roughly the same ratios as sugar
(55%-45% fructose and glucose v. 50-50 in sugar), your body cannot
tell the difference between them. Sugar is sugar is sugar.
The increase in rates of obesity and
Type 2 diabetes comes from lifestyles of eating more processed 'junk'
foods and exercising less more than anything else. Having yourself
and your kids cut down on sugary foods in general can help in
this way, not necessarily avoiding HFCS.
And finally-
If one of your friends starts freaking
out about HFCS, have you ever asked them what's wrong with it and
why? I've never actually gotten an answer, although it's fun to watch
some people squirm. I get a similar kick out of debates about what
was in the briefcase in Pulp Fiction, but that's just me.
That's all I have for you today! For
more information, check out www.sweetsurprise.com
and
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/high-fructose-corn-syrup/AN01588.
What people don't know about high fructose corn syrup is, it is processed and didn't come from real fruits. Not only that. It is bad because we are consuming too much of it. If we can lessen our fructose intake, that would be good for us. But, if you look at the foods we buy, you'll see fructose on it. Most foods we buy now has fructose that's why we consume too much of it and that is bad for our health.
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