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High-Fructose Corn Syrup - The New Bad Boy in Town
Move over trans fat, here comes high fructose corn syrup? Lately there is talk about high fructose corn syrup being the new bad boy ingredient. The explosion of products containing it may be a big reason why America is in the middle of an obesity epidemic...
Well, not so fast everyone. If you want to point the finger at something, point it at excess calories in the form of sweetened liquid...plain and simple (Although there are several changes in our diet and lifestyle over the past 25 years that you can point the rest of your fingers at too).
A study (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition July 2007) found no difference between the soda sweetened with sugar and soda sweetened with high fructose corn syrup. Researchers from the University of Washington tested out the subsequent hunger, thirst, and satiety in 37 men and women 20-minutes after drinking cola with sucrose, cola with high fructose corn syrup, diet cola, and low fat milk. The amount of calories eaten at lunch two hours later was also measured. It bears repeating: no difference between the calories eaten at the next meal and the satiety 20 minutes later between the two sweetened sodas.
But maybe there is some difference in the body's response to a high intake of high fructose corn syrup that goes beyond satiety and subsequent calories consumed. Enter the next recent study on high fructose corn syrup. This study was recently presented at the American Chemical Society annual meeting. Researchers from Rutgers University tested 11 soft drinks sweetened with high fructose corn syrup and detected high levels of compounds that are normally raised in the blood of people with diabetes - reactive carbonyls. These compounds have been linked to diabetic complications such as tissue damage. Reactive carbonyls were not detected in soda sweetened with sucrose (table sugar). This is the first I've heard or read about reactive carbonyls so I'm looking forward to more research on these compounds.
In the meantime, can we agree that maybe America's obesity crisis is due (in part) to the fact that our average daily calories has increased steadily over the past fifty years at the same time that are exercise and energy output has steadily decreased? I hate to make it sound this simple (because it isn't) but...we are eating and drinking more calories than our bodies are burning. That is not to say that I'm loving high fructose corn syrup. I think many of us could benefit from trimming off some junk calories and calories coming from beverages that contribute no other nutrients (like soda) should probably be first on the chopping block.
Soft drink consumption has increased by more than 5 times in the past 50 years. It's no surprise then that soda is now the leading source of refined sugars in the American diet. On that fact alone, we should be taking a hard look at our soda gluttony.
Related Topics: Technorati Tags: high fructose corn syrup, sugar, soda, pop, healthy diet
Well, not so fast everyone. If you want to point the finger at something, point it at excess calories in the form of sweetened liquid...plain and simple (Although there are several changes in our diet and lifestyle over the past 25 years that you can point the rest of your fingers at too).
A study (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition July 2007) found no difference between the soda sweetened with sugar and soda sweetened with high fructose corn syrup. Researchers from the University of Washington tested out the subsequent hunger, thirst, and satiety in 37 men and women 20-minutes after drinking cola with sucrose, cola with high fructose corn syrup, diet cola, and low fat milk. The amount of calories eaten at lunch two hours later was also measured. It bears repeating: no difference between the calories eaten at the next meal and the satiety 20 minutes later between the two sweetened sodas.
But maybe there is some difference in the body's response to a high intake of high fructose corn syrup that goes beyond satiety and subsequent calories consumed. Enter the next recent study on high fructose corn syrup. This study was recently presented at the American Chemical Society annual meeting. Researchers from Rutgers University tested 11 soft drinks sweetened with high fructose corn syrup and detected high levels of compounds that are normally raised in the blood of people with diabetes - reactive carbonyls. These compounds have been linked to diabetic complications such as tissue damage. Reactive carbonyls were not detected in soda sweetened with sucrose (table sugar). This is the first I've heard or read about reactive carbonyls so I'm looking forward to more research on these compounds.
In the meantime, can we agree that maybe America's obesity crisis is due (in part) to the fact that our average daily calories has increased steadily over the past fifty years at the same time that are exercise and energy output has steadily decreased? I hate to make it sound this simple (because it isn't) but...we are eating and drinking more calories than our bodies are burning. That is not to say that I'm loving high fructose corn syrup. I think many of us could benefit from trimming off some junk calories and calories coming from beverages that contribute no other nutrients (like soda) should probably be first on the chopping block.
Soft drink consumption has increased by more than 5 times in the past 50 years. It's no surprise then that soda is now the leading source of refined sugars in the American diet. On that fact alone, we should be taking a hard look at our soda gluttony.
Related Topics: Technorati Tags: high fructose corn syrup, sugar, soda, pop, healthy diet
41 Comments:
i dont eat veg.
As one who has roller-coastered my weight since I was 5 years old (I'm 46), I can attest to the fact that High-Fructose Corn Syrup is, in my opinion, the cause of obesity. I had lost 26 pounds on Weight Watchers recently, and looked better, but I just didn't "feel" well. ALL of their "snack" foods contain really bad ingredients, albeit in relatively small amounts. I've switched gears and eat very little white flour, and NO HFCS, and I use only Extra Virgin Olive Oil as my added fat. Every aspect of my being feels better. I don't break out anymore (adult acne), I don't have erractic energy levels throughout the day, and I don't crave sugar/carbs anymore. AND I'm LOSING WEIGHT. It's AMAZING. I still have about 30 pounds to lose, but I feel absolutely confident that I've found what works for me to finally keep the weight off.
I'm an "all or nothing" kind of person, but this way of eating is absolutely manageable for me. I hope you'll try it.
I had been addicted to Pepsi-Cola since I was a child.
Until that is, I was diagnosed with diabetes.
I TOTALLY feel that my addiction to soda pop was mostly responsible for this horrific diagnosis.
I was drinking 4-6 cans PER DAY! EVERY DAY!
Since the diagnosis & breaking my habit, I've lost over 10 pounds with many more to go.
The initial weeks after giving up Pepsi were horrible - I was having major withdrawal symptoms.
Now, despite my diabetes diag, I am healthier, thinner and I have more energy.
I believe this problem was due to the high fructose corn syrup in the Pepsi.
Take it from me & learn from my mistake - BREAK your HFCS addiction before you too are diagnosed diabetes!
Agreed. Simple arithmetic in counting calories, what we consume vs. what we burn. My question - does the body break down sugar differently than high fructose corn syrup? And if so how so? I believe that it does, and certainly is a contributing factor to weight gain, in that the body is unable to breakdown and process foods with preservatives and high fructose corn syrup in the same way that it would natural fresh foods.
Yes, you are correct the body breaks down sugar differently than HFCS. The body knows how to regulate sugar (insulin and leptin regulate it). The body doesn't know how to deal with HFCS (and it doesn't get regulated).Insulin is a factor in diabetes, Leptin is a factor for obesity. I avoid HFCS (a man made manipulated product).
This is NOT NEWS nor NEW INFO!! At least one year ago, Bill Maher, asked the Surgeon General why the govt. was not doing anything about obesity and in particular, High Fructose Corn syrup.
As others state, the body doesn't break HFCS down like it does sugar. Additionally, HCFS may cause some to feel hungry soon after consumption.
In 1970, people consumed an est. 7lbs. of suger per year; now we consume an est. 21 lbs. of HCFS per year!!! Higher consumption of calories, improper breakdown of HCFS, fake hunger triggered by HFCS leads to more consumption (with more HFCS in most food products) and this is all because...
CORPS. SAVE 20% in costs using HFCS over sugar! Once again, profits override known health risks! Welcome to America and Hyper-Capitalism - the populace has become fodder for the money machine.
Mr B,
It's not that I disagree with you, but I just don't consider Bill Maher a bastion of hot news and nutrition information. Nice to see it from a source more 'mainstream'.
The biggest problem with HFCS that I see is how it is hidden in almost everything we eat. Look at any bread label, even the whole grain, "natural", high fiber, they are all sweetened with HFCS. Also, ketchup, tartar sauce, jams and jellies--the list goes on.
HFCS is not found in organic products. You have to be very careful when you look for foods without it. I read the labels. My husband on the other hand doesn't. He bought cookies that someone at work was selling and I read the label of ingredients. They contain not only High Fructose Corn Syrup but Palm oil as well. :( I or my husband won't be eating any of these cookies.
I have found Organic Corn Syrup at my local store - so just because something happens to be organic does not mean it is good - how bad is organic Corn syrup vs HFCS i do not know, does any one else know
High Fructose Corn Syrup is satirized in as mustachioed villain at http://tshirtinsurgency.com/high-fructose-corn-syrup-t-shirt
not unfunny
I was diagnosed with a fatty liver just 5 weeks ago and it scared the heck out of me! I am 44 with two young children and I couldn't believe it. My cholesterol and liver function tests had shot up since me physical just 7 months before and I was having right flank discomfort. My doctor sent me to a great nutritionist. I hadn't heard much of high fructose corn syrup until then.( I have lost and gained weight on Weight Watchers for years.) My new healthy, WAY TO EAT (not diet) contains absolutely no HFCS. I have lost 12 pounds, have so much more energy and no longer have discomfort on my right side. I get my blood redrawn tomorrow and I am confident my levels will be much better.
Man, all you people are just getting on the latest bandwagon to try an lose weight! I drink regular Dr. Pepper 2-3 times per week! My Grandfather worked for Coke my entire life - imagine how many Cokes I've had in my lifetime! I'm not fat, overweight, anywhere near having diabetes or any of the other so called side effects you all atribute to HFCS. It is called energy in = energy out. I work out 5-6 days a week and I eat what I want. (Oh, I've been doing this since I was 18.) I'm 37 years old now. You all need to take responsiblity for your own consumption. As they say, everything in moderation - you should try it, it works! Oh, and by the way, not all bread has HFCS - try Sara Lee - I buy it at King Soopers - it also doesn't have Partially Hydrogenated anything in it.
My husband was one of those people who could eat and drink anything he wanted and not gain weight. As a matter of fact, he'd just passed a physical with flying colors two months before he had a heart attack. What a surprise for us. There is no history of heart problems in his family, so we looked at differences in our diets. The main difference was the high fructose corn syrup in the sodas and sports drinks which I avoid. Now, he avoids high fructose corn syrup, eats a diet high in vegetables, and is pretty healthy, but he has three stents in his heart.
To the person that stated to use Sra Lee bread because it doesn't contain HFCS - be aware that this product is one of the worst offenders of HFCS. I have never been able to find a Sara Lee product that does NOT contain HFCS.
NO CORNSYRUP DRINKS:
*FIZZY LIZZY
*MEXICAN COKE in thde bottles
*DR PEPPER 8 OZ BOTTLE-with the natrual imperial sugar symbol on the front
*Wallgreens brand soda in the bottles
*BOLYNNS soda sold at JASONS DELI
*HANSONS
I agree that people are overweight because they take in more calories than they burn. period.
as far as sodas, we just started making italian sodas at our house. we just buy flavored syrups (like they use at coffee shops; you can usually find them in supermarkets by the coffee) and mix them with soda/seltzer water. I got tired of reading labels. I mean you expect pepsi or coke to have hfcs, but the annoying thing is when some natural sodas have them and different flavors of the same brand do. You have to read every can before choosing. grrr.
Recently I have read about the down side of using products with this ingredient in them. From obesity, to liver and heart problems. It's in everything, including cold cereal, bottled juices, ice cream,jams and jellies, all the goodies that kids like. Now even bread crumbs.
I just wrote to the FDA asking about the testing of this product, also writing to companies that use this as one of their ingredients. Some have said they are stopping it's use. Parents take heed about what your kids are eating...
Letter the the corn refiners association after the July 2008 court ruling that HFCS is declared NATURAL:
It is funny that you (CRA) are feeling heady about this ruling. Your $30 million dollar ad campaign is a joke. You can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time. American's in the health industry are WARNING their patients about HFCS. It happens everyday across America, in hundreds of medical offices. Your cat is out of the bag. HFCS is EVIL! You are promoting a chemical that is KILLING AMERICANS. How do you sleep at night? This is chemical warfare. You should be arrested. It is not "natural" and you know this. It is not "found" in nature, it is chemically processed. You paid the FDA. The FDA has very little funding from the government because industries like yours "pay" the FDA under the guise of grants and research. I will still wear my "HFCS is Evil" to Publix and to public events. I have enjoyed educating several thousand people over the past 5 years about this evil. Good luck in your pathetic attempt to paint a smiley face on a devil!
What no one has mentioned is the other effects of HFCS. I am extremely sensitive to HFCS. One can of regular soda will keep me in the bathroom for quite a while. It's the best laxative I have ever used. Imagine having to go through life reading labels because one slip up can ruin your day. As a long haul truck driver I can't afford to slip up and spend the day sitting near a restroom. I was diagnosed after taking a stress test for what I thought was a heart problem, turns out at the same time I developed lactose intolerance I also became extremely sensitive to HFCS. The doctor said 10% of the population has a some sensitivity to it, and 1% of those are like me or worse. Kinda sucks. I have to watch how much ketchup I use, and cannot trust drinking any soda at a normal restaurant. If I cant see them fill my glass, I simply order ice water.
I'm otherwise healthy, and not excessively heavy. I'm what older folks call husky. Since there is diabetes in my family, I get regular sugar test at my doctor and my sugar is always within the normal range.
I don't understand what it means by "HCFS was no worse than sugar." In what way?
Two years ago I was told I have an intolerance to HFCS. I have since become a label reader and it's amazing to me how much HFCS is in everything man produced. I would rather take the time to read a label then spend hours in the bathroom. Someone mentioned bread....I have found that bakery made bread is ok but make sure it doesn't have honey, molasses or brown sugar. I have also found that the Kwik Trip's have their own bakery made breads for a fraction of the cost.
I have and continue to consume products with HFCS. I am not, nor have I ever been over weight. It's called PORTION CONTROL. One ingredient is not causing obesity, it's the individuals who are.
I drink Coke occasionally, I rarely eat fast food but I have before. I love chocolate and potato chips. I am not "naturally" skinny, I just don't over indulge. I don't eat everything at a restaurant just because it's in front of me.
People need to stop pointing fingers about what's causing obesity and realize that moderation is something that more people need to utilize. Yes, of course you've lost weight if you cut out HFCS... that's because you're eating less.
PROPS TO JASON'S DELI for achieving the trifecta, no trans fat, MSG, or HFCS in their foods . They still have coke but are working on a replacement. Thanks for standing up and doing the right thing despite the costs!!
obesity is not the only issue against the use of HFCS. Cardiovascular health matters. There are studies (done as long ago as 1960s)by John Yudkin (London's Queen Elizabeth College) that show fructose causes the elevation of blood levels of cholesterol and triglycerides to twice the levels caused by sugar.
Other studies include Dr. Judith Hallfrisch (Nation Inst. on Aging), the Children's Cardiovascular Health Ctr @ Columbia-Presby. Med Ctr. So while overconsumption of sugar is a problem, overconsumption of HFCS is an even bigger problem.
Naturally, the corn industry is trying to downplay this information because there are big bucks to be made (or lost) depending on the "spin" HFCS gets.
It's not what you eat, but how much you eat that causes weight gain. HFCS has contributed to obesity because people are eating more and more of everything. I think the real issue is that HFCS is not natural therefore it can't be healthy. If corn has to be milled, refined, and then sucrose added to it then HFCS is not natural. Liver damage and diabetes are very serious illnesses that can be directly linked to too much HFCS, and you don't have to be overweight to have either one. I recommend cutting down on your HFCS intake because consuming unnatural products is toxic to our bodies, not because you don't want to be held responsible for your calorie intake.
Take a look at this article for HFCS's history and what it really is, plus rebuttals to the "exercising discretion" argument.
http://www.sprol.com/?p=236
People, know that saying "well I'm slim and I eat HFCS - ergo it's FINE!" is as ridiculous as saying "well I'm not diabetic and I can eat sugar therefore Sugar is perfectly fine for all diabetics!"
You may be the lucky one for whom HFCS does not have impact.
Many, however, have PROVEN that they are highly susceptible to HFCS. The body does NOT process it "just like sugar." In fact, to continually preach "Portion control!" to people who are suffering glycemic spikes and hand shaking, light-headed, "I could eat my YOUNG" hunger following the ingestion of HFCS (it leaves you craving more!) is to fail to understand metabolic fact.
Many overweight people do not eat because they are bored, stupid, or lack willpower. They eat because they are HUNGRY. They are having a real, physical reaction to spikes and crashes in blood sugar.
This may not apply to YOU. It may not apply to "everyone." But it certainly is real - and applicable - to many.
Brownberry brand breads - the whole grain, health nut, etc. do not contain HFCS.
Thank you, writermom!
What works for some people does not work for all, period.
"Just do what I do and you won't be overweight" is really condescending.
Just because you work out and therefore can "eat anything" you want does not mean that's so for everyone. (It also doesn't mean you're healthy, by the way.)
Just because you eat "bad" stuff in moderation and maintain your weight does not mean that's so for everyone.
I can stay slim only with extensive exercise and strict caloric limits. But I actually FEEL better if I eat whole foods and avoid processed crap.
HFCS may not be the sole reason anyone is overweight, but it certainly doesn't help.
We are being force fed liquid poison to be placed underway the intense care of the FDA so that they can still make money. Show me a doctor that wants to cure a patient and I'll show you a doctor with know retirment. You suffering is their job security.
You hate to make it sound simple because it isn't? Well..it IS that simple. People are obese because they, as you said, eat more calories and exercise less. In order to lose weight, which is VERY simple to do...but not easy, you must not eat excessive amounts of calories. Your body only needs so many day to day and MANY Americans eat 2-3 times that amount. It's no wonder we are becoming fatter. The simple cause of obesity is NOT what manufacturers are putting in the food they make...its the food we put in our mouths. We're not force fed and we have the option to eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean meat. The only one to blame is the one holding the fork. All you have to do is eat when you're hungry..eat healthy foods. Don't snack on processed garbage and slam pop all day. Drink WATER instead. I used to weight 320 pounds at one point in my life and it was terrible. So one day I said, "I don't wanna be fat anymore." Gave up pop right there on the spot and started exercising and eating healthier. Not even 2 years later I'm now down to 198 pounds and still dropping weight. It's simply a matter of commitment and making the right choices.
Some posters have stated: some people are sensitive and others aren't. I really don't appreciate the insinuations from those who claim to lead perfectly healthy lives that the problem with HFCS are just convenient excuses for obesity.
As an example of someone who is very sensitive to HFCS without any of the typical excuses... I'm not overweight at all. I have a high metabolism, I work out regularly, I eat a relatively healthy / balanced diet, I've rarely been sick my entire life.
But... if I eat a salad with HFCS laden salad dressing on it for lunch you won't want to be near me later on. I will have really bad gas, a noisy gurgley stomach and all kinds of colorful bowel movements all afternoon. It really ruins my day and makes dining out in general a high-risk proposition I prefer to avoid.
At this point I have not isolated all my digestive issues to HFCS ( fructose in general may be an issue), but I am certain through experimenting on myself that HFCS is definitely a problem and sucrose is not.
From what I understand thus far, HFCS is essentially a mix of fructose and glucose that is only slightly higher in fructose than in glucose (on a % bases). Sucrose is exactly 50-50 once it is broken down. The producers of this "wonder-sweetener" have claimed that as far as your body is concerned, HFCS and sucrose are nearly identical. But it sounds to me like they are claiming filling a fish tank with oxygen and hydrogen gas is "close enough" to water that the fish won't notice the difference. I know - that's crazy talk. But so is the professing that HFCS and sugar are the same thing.
If anyone is interested in seeing an excellent documentary about the production of corn (how much of it is subsidized by the gov't, completely inedible, and grown largely to produce corn syrup and cattle feed fillers)you must rent "King Corn." Not only is corn filler hurting our health in the form of HFCS, but the fillers they put in cattle feed make the beef fatter, quicker - again, increasing profits for large factory farms and other corporations. Furthermore, the corn filler is high in acid and causes ulcers in the cattle, making high levels of anti-biotics necessary to keep the cattle healthy until they can be slaughtered.
I know someone on this post chided another poster for sighting Bill Maher on this topic, but he really has been preaching this for many years - way before it was fashionable to question HFCS and it's effect on our nations health.
And for those who "work out 5-6 times a day and drink all the soda they want," good for you! But that doesn't mean that it doesn't negatively effect many, if not most, other people. Get over yourself! Just because you might have been blessed with the right genes, doesn't make you right. When I go in the sun, I tan instead of burning. It doesn't mean the sun is good for me and it doesn't mean my fair-skinned children should be in the sun. I appreciate people needing to take responsibility for their eating habits, but that doesn't mean that large factory farms and multi-national corporations should be able to poison our food supply just because it makes them more profitable.
Recently I discovered that I was, on top of lactose intolerant, unable to process fructose. I've already avoided HFCS in everything I eat and drink for the last 10 years because it made me sick and bloated. I have never been overweight (in fact, I have most of my life been underweight) so HFCS, for me, had no bearing on weight, only digestion. Guess what else has Fructose (not corn syrup, just fructose): many fruits. I discovered I cannot eat apples or drink apple juice, amongst other fruits. You who can drink sodas et al consider yourselves lucky.
Oh, and I eat like a pig. So portion control may not always work, either. Best thing to do is keep a food dairy and read and experiment. Not everyone is overweight due to eating too much; many people's body simply may not process foods and fats properly. And some people are genetically predisposed to fat, which can act as a hormone producing organ in and of itself in certain locations.
Read lots, experiment with what works, keep a food diary and realize that one size diagnoses do not fit all people.
People are saying obesity is just lack of portion control, as if there's no such thing as undiagnosed PCOS among a plethora of other disorders. These sorts of forums are nice, but totally fail when people assume they know what's best for others in the form of unsolicited advice.
I recently discovered that my 3 yr old was allergic to corn and all corn products so therefore no HFCS i never realized how much of this stuff is hidden in the things that ppl think are healthy and i dont care what neone says this stuff is not healthy why do you think bread candy soda chocolate potato chips and condiments are so bad for you? and i have been a very very close label reader for the past year and have found only 2 kinds of bread that dont have HFCS natures own light and arnolds white no kind of sara lee is HFCS free even some flavored chap sticks and lip glosses have i also watched the king corn documentary very interesting to know what they will do to america to make an extra buck!!!!
One size diagnosis does fit all here: HFCS is evil!
http://www.uctv.tv/search-details.aspx?showID=16717
HFCS causes me massive stomach pain whenever I eat it. It's in so many things, too, which makes it rather annoying to shop.
It's always about the ol'mighty dollar and never about our health. Do you think they care about making you overweight? They don't because if causes health problems and then doctor bills and hospital bills and so on and so on... HFCS is in almost every items in the grocery stores I spend quite a bit of time looking for items without it. I'm trying to pick out the best items for me and my daughter to eat and they make it harder every day. I've lost 60 lbs not eating items with it in it and watching the carbs also, we need to teach other people and our children about this.
I have searched far and high for th right way to eat and then Free the Animal was found and all is clear now. The first and final word on the obesity epidemic to me is Dr. Robert Lustig. Watch his video on HFCS here at "Free the Animal" to understand the science and biology behind this posion. This doctor has treadted obese children for years and he even surprised people in the fructose science community with his findings. Best hour and half ever spent in my life. I know with this knowledge I am powerful!
http://freetheanimal.com/2009/12/dr-robert-lustig-on-fructose-alcohol-without-the-buzz.html
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