The truth about High Fructose Corn Syrup
High Fructose Corn Syrup: Friend or Foe?
Know the Facts!
Recently, I’ve seen a few commercials on the air sponsored by The Corn Refiners Association pleading with its viewers to “get the facts!” They claim that HFCS is perfectly natural and healthy. Their argument is that it’s made from corn so it’s “natural” and like sugar, its fine in moderation. Go ahead… watch it if you have never seen it. The link is below. You’re in for a good laugh.
The marketing is ingenious! There are two moms at a party and Mom #1 accuses Mom #2 of serving HFCS to the kids by saying, “you know what they say about HFCS, right?” Mom #2 replies back with “No, what DO they say about HFCS?” Mom #1 doesn’t know what to say in response and feels stupid for not knowing why HFCS is bad for her.
After laughing hysterically for a few minutes I got really insulted! The Corn Refiners Association is implying that the consumer (you and I) are the “dumb mom” and the Corn Refiners are the smart mom, tell us all the facts that we should already know. Well, I’m not stupid (and I know you’re not because you’re reading my blog ) but I’ll bet unless you have a background in food science, nutrition or health care, you probably CAN’T describe what it is that makes HFCS so bad for your health.
Just in case you ever find yourself in a situation where you have to explain to a friend why HFCS is bad for you like the commercial implies- here are the facts:
Commercial Myth: High Fructose Corn Syrup is made for corn so it’s “natural”.
Fact: By the time corn sugar (the new name they are putting on the food labels) reaches the product, it is so far from natural corn your body can’t even recognize it. And, just because it’s “natural” doesn’t mean it’s good for you. Oil comes from the Earth and you wouldn’t drink gasoline if the oil companies told you its safe because it’s “natural” would you?
“High-fructose corn syrup starts out as cornstarch, which is chemically or enzymatically degraded to glucose and some short polymers of glucose. Another enzyme is then used to convert varying fractions of glucose into fructose…High-fructose corn syrup just doesn’t exist in nature” – Michael Jacobson, executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest
Commercial Myth: Regular sugar has the same amount of calories as corn sugar, so it’s basically the same thing. HFCS can replace natural sugar without effects.
Fact: HFCS is absorbed more quickly than natural sugar. Barry M. Popkin, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill stated…
“The digestion, absorption, and metabolism of fructose differ from those of glucose. Hepatic metabolism of fructose favors de novo lipogenesis [production of fat in the liver]. In addition, unlike glucose, fructose does not stimulate insulin secretion or enhance leptin production. Because insulin and leptin act as key afferent signals in the regulation of food intake and body weight [to control appetite], this suggests that dietary fructose may contribute to increased energy intake and weight gain. Furthermore, calorically sweetened beverages may enhance caloric overconsumption.”
In other words, HFCS is absorbed more quickly than regular sugar and it fails to stimulate important chemicals in your liver. This results in preventing you from triggering the body’s signals for being full and may lead to overconsumption of total calories.
Commercial Myth: HFCS, like regular sugar is fine in moderation.
Fact: While they do have a point- all sugar levels need to be moderated, it is virtually impossible to regulate the amount of HFCS you are eating if you consume a lot of processed pre-made foods. According to a study published November 2010 in the Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism, “It has been considered that moderate fructose consumption of ≤50g/day or ~10% of energy has no deleterious effect on lipid and glucose control.” Sounds reasonable right? HFCS is not “bad” for you if you consume under 50g/day. But, just look how many grams are in ONE 12OZ can of soda:
Sugar Content of Cola / Pop / Soda / Drinks
Sugar Content per ** 12oz ** can
7Up (Cadbury Schweppes) = 39 grams
Coca-Cola Classic = 39 grams
Dr Pepper (Cadbury Schweppes) = 40 grams
Minute Maid Orange Soda (Coca-Cola Co.) = 48 grams
Mountain Dew (PepsiCo) = 46 grams
Pepsi = 41 grams
Sprite (Coca-Cola Co.) = 38 grams
In just one can of soda you’ve already almost consumed the 50 gram limit. Plus, if you’re drinking soda you’re probably using combining that with a bag of chips, a cheeseburger on white bread with ketchup, mustard, mayo and pickles- all of which have HFCS/corn sugar in them. It is rare to find a processed food on the super market shelf that doesn’t contain the nasty food substitute. (And don’t think since you drink diet soda you’re off the hook- that’s just as bad for you, but that’s a topic for different blog!)
Bottom Line: The causes of obesity are well-known and involve the overconsumption of calories from all sources- natural sugar, HFCS, fat, etc. HFCS in particular is a major cause of heart disease, obesity, cancer, dementia, liver failure, tooth decay and more.
The Journal of the American Society of Nephrology had this to say about HFCS: “We suggest excessive fructose intake should be considered an environmental toxin with major health implications.”
Implementing Solutions:
• Really limit your intake of processed pre-made foods. Almost all processed food contains HFCS, so it’s hard to control how much you are eating. Choose whole, unprocessed food like fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Use natural sugar alternatives like honey, agave nectar, stevia and beet sugar to sweeten your food.
• Of course, unless you have been living in a bubble and have avoided HFCS in your diet, you most likely still have this toxic chemical in your system. (Just think of what you had for breakfast!) If that is the case, your nervous system is not working as well as it should/could be. Come into the office and get a spinal check-up so Dr. Dave and Dr. Mary can help your body flush out the toxic waste HFCS leaves behind!
• Call (847) 382-3194 to schedule your appointment today- don’t wait! After you get adjusted and once corn sugar is out of your system (and out of your diet for good) you’ll notice more energy, less fatigue and you’ll start to feel better and live healthier in general! And who doesn’t want that?
