If you've done any reading about High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), you might notice that there are massive amounts of conflicting reports about it. You might be left wondering: Is it totally awesome for me like the Corn Refiners Association (CRA) commercials tell me? (Uhh, small conflict of interest?) Probably not. Is it the pure poison that all-natural vegan protesters claim? Mmm?probably not that either. What surprised me about all of this is what WebMD AND Time Magazine had to say about it:
Both definitively took a stand in saying that the American Medical Association has shown that HFCS does NOT contribute to obesity any more than other types of sugars. One certainty is that it is NOT natural, despite the whole ?made from corn? argument. It is not found in nature and requires multiple enzymatic treatment steps to be made. At that point, no one can claim that it is natural, now can they? (Nice effort from the CRA, though). Does HFCS do anything bad to us? The jury is still out on that. As Time mag went on to say, the problem is that HFCS is in EVERYTHING, from cereals to breads to even children's vitamins. Really, vitamins? Overall, we are simply eating too much of it.
So what did WebMD & Time Mag say we should do? The answer was an oldie-but-goodie clich?: Moderation in all things. This is where a little homework goes a long way ? and where Calorista steps in to save the day! There are several foods for which it is fairly easy to find a version that does not have HFCS, and thus, cut back where you can.
Cereal is one food for which it's easy to find HFCS-free options. Several options are available at your regular grocery store. Kashi is one. If you like their Go Lean cereals, you are all set. I don't so much ? but I do love their Organic Promise Strawberry Fields and Vive. If you want to slide over to the natural section, try Health Valley's granola cereal or Peace Essential 10.
SIDE NOTE: Unfortunately, many of our favorite cereals do contain HFCS, like Fiber One's Honey Clusters (actually almost all Fiber One cereals), most of Kellogg's All Bran cereals, and Special K cereals.
Thomas English Muffins ? These guys recently cut HFCS out of their 120 calorie Double Fiber Honey Wheat version and their light 100 calorie version. Since this English muffin is super mega awesome, this is obviously fantastic news. Good work, Thomas!
Nature's Own Organic Flour Bread: One AMAZING regular grocery store no HFCS bread is Nature's Own Organic Flour bread - 100 calories (for 1 big slice), and super wild & crazy delicious, too. This is the only bread I buy now. Vitalicious Cakes & Muffins: This is a tougher one ? most snack muffins and cakes have HFCS. However, Vitalicious 100 calorie VitaCakes do not, which is pretty super because these are tasty and MEGA healthy.
Kellogg's NEW Granola Bars: These new 130 calorie divine granola bars are HFCS free with 9 grams of fiber, antioxidants, no cholesterol, and low sodium. The Dark Chocolate Almond flavor is chocolatey, rich, almond-y and chewy. Again, Fiber One granola bars have HFCS, so these Kellogg's bars are a new, great option if you want high fiber, no HFCS bars.
Arnold Sandwich Thins: Thin buns are so IN! These new 100 calorie thin inventions are pretty slick: they are part soft bun, part tasty bread, part English muffin. This multi-grain flavor is stuffed with oats & seeds and super flavorful. Not to mention it has no High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), no cholesterol, almost no fat, and is high in fiber and protein. The thing that made these even better than English muffins is the fact that they peel apart easily and evenly. Pretty perfect! Now if I can get Arnold to make them in my favorite honey wheat flavor...
What is all the fuss about High Fructose Corn Syrup? In all the commercials by sweetsurprise.com, after giving the statement “you know what they say about High Fructose Corn Syrup," no one seems to be able to answer the “what?" question that inevitably follows. Here are some research based facts you can give as answers should you find yourself faced with this question.
Facts about High Fructose Corn Syrup: •HFCS must be processed in the liver and not in the small intestine as is regular sugar. It is converted directly into triglycerides (cholesterol) and adipose tissue (fat) and not blood glucose. •HFCS does not stimulate insulin or leptin which help regulate blood sugar levels and appetite. •Fructose is known to elevate the levels of triglycerides and LDL (bad cholesterol) in your body, which research has shown to be a major risk factor in heart disease. •HFCS is loaded with reactive carbonyls which are thought to be a contributing factor leading to diabetes. •Research is now indicating that children are especially susceptible to diabetes as a result of consuming large amounts of soft drinks sweetened with HFCS. •HFCS is a processed, artificially produced sweetener that does not contain its own enzymes, vitamins or minerals so will take whatever micronutrients it needs from your body, which in turn, reduces the amount of these your body needs to function properly. •Most HFCS is made from Genetically Modified Corn (GMO Corn) which is another whole can of worms that we are not going to open here. Research does indicate that GMO corn is a significant factor in developing allergies to corn, along with other side effects and health concerns. •The rise in production and use of HFCS parallels the rise in the problem our nation has with obesity. Statistics show that the rise in HFCS used by consumers, obesity is rising at the same rate and is especially a problem with children. •An answer to the statement that High Fructose Corn Syrup is safe in moderation: Yes, that statement may be based in fact, however, the only way to consume HFCS in moderation in the US would be to eat fresh, locally grown meat and produce and completely eliminate processed (prepackage, canned, or “mega-mart" purchased) food from your diet. That includes soda, soft drinks and packaged fruit drinks as well. Read Food Labels Having a food-allergic family creates the need to read the label of every product we buy (including cleaning, cosmetics and toiletries) and you would be shocked and amazed at what is put into the food you eat every day. Start looking at what is really in the food you feed your family and make good healthy choices. We have chosen to buy the majority of our food from local farmers during the growing season and freeze or canning what we need for the winter.
Make Your Own Decision Be aware that the advertising campaign for High Fructose Corn Syrup is at the very least misleading, if not outright deceptive. Arm yourself with facts and decide for yourself if the dangers are worth the risk for your family. This is not an inclusive list of every possible effect of consuming HFCS, but should give you enough of the main facts to be able to elaborate an answer to the question of “what do they say about High Fructose Corn Syrup?"
Both The Calorista & Jgreenman are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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