Why So Much High Fructose Corn Syrup ?
by Cindy Stiteler
HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP GOES WHERE NO SWEETENER HAS GONE BEFORE
I was having lunch with my business partner recently and she was eating one of those “lean something” meals composed of chicken, rice and broccoli. I asked to see the ingredient list and we were both shocked to find that high fructose corn syrup was the 2nd ingredient.
WHAT IS HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP ?
HFCS is produced by processing corn starch (most corn is genetically modified today) to yield glucose and then processing this glucose to produce a high percentage of fructose. As simple as it sounds, it really is complicated. Three different enzymes are needed to break down cornstarch which is composed of chains of glucose molecules of almost infinite length into the simple sugars glucose and fructose. According to a food technology expert, two of these enzymes used, alpha amylase and glucose isomerase, are genetically modified to make them more stable. Simply put, it is a chemical process.
WHY IS IT IN 40-50% OF ALL SUPERMARKET PRODUCTS ?
It is cheap to food producers because the Federal Government subsidizes corn and puts tariffs and quotas on importing regular sugar making that more expensive. High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) increases shelf life and decreases freezer burn. It helps bread brown faster. The sweeter the food, the more people buy. HFCS is in pickles, ketchup, salad dressings, lunch meats, protein bars, children’s vitamins, packaged roast beef and just about every other item that is boxed, canned or packaged as well as most fast food.
WHY IS IT HARMFUL ?
Because HFCS is metabolized by the liver directly, the fructose does not cause the pancreas to release insulin the way it normally should and fructose converts to fat more easily than any other type of sugar. Many experts agree that this is a main factor in America’s growing obesity rates. Soft drinks sweetened with HFCS are 10 times richer in harmful carbonyl compounds which are already elevated in people with diabetes and are blamed for causing complications such as foot ulcers and eye and nerve damage.
Compared to the 1970s, the average American today consumes more than 100 times the amount of HFCS mostly because of the insidious placement in so many food products.
WHAT CAN YOU DO ?
Read labels on all food products.
Restrict your consumption of fast foods and processed foods.
Restrict all sugar consumption.
Eat more organic fruits and vegetables.
Exercise to burn fat.
Restrict food that comes in cans, boxes, jars and packages.
Ask your natural grocer not to carry foods containing HFCS.
Become aware of the deleterious effects of all processed items that make some big corporations rich at the expense of our health.
Read all of our blogs.
Check out the following video and book list:
Seeds of Destruction: The Hidden Agenda of Genetic Manipulation
Fat Land: How Americans Became the Fattest People in the World
High Fructose Corn Syrup and the Fibromyalgia Connection: Fibromyalgia Recovery Handbook
