High Fructose Corn Syrup...the antichrist (1 Viewer)

[Hipple Long Ware & Peete]

that #### blows. you should list products that use it or don't use it in the first link, to know what to avoid.

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MOP has a FULL BOX

 

[prefontaine]

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/24/d...ake-you-fatter/

Does Fructose Make You Fatter?

High-fructose corn syrup is a sweetener used in many processed foods ranging from sodas to baked goods. While the ingredient is cheaper and sweeter than regular sugar, new research suggests that it can also make you fatter.

In a small study, Texas researchers showed that the body converts fructose to body fat with “surprising speed,” said Elizabeth Parks, associate professor of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. The study, which appears in The Journal of Nutrition, shows how glucose and fructose, which are forms of sugar, are metabolized differently.

In humans, triglycerides, which are a type of fat in the blood, are mostly formed in the liver. Dr. Parks said the liver acts like “a traffic cop” who coordinates how the body uses dietary sugars. When the liver encounters glucose, it decides whether the body needs to store it, burn it for energy or turn it into triglycerides.

But when fructose enters the body, it bypasses the process and ends up being quickly converted to body fat.

“It’s basically sneaking into the rock concert through the fence,” Dr. Parks said. “It’s a less-controlled movement of fructose through these pathways that causes it to contribute to greater triglyceride synthesis. The bottom line of this study is that fructose very quickly gets made into fat in the body.”

For the study, six people were given three different drinks. In one test, the breakfast drink was 100 percent glucose. In the second test, they drank half glucose and half fructose; and in the third, they drank 25 percent glucose and 75 percent fructose. The drinks were given at random, and neither the study subjects nor the evaluators were aware who was drinking what. The subjects ate a regular lunch about four hours later.

The researchers found that lipogenesis, the process by which sugars are turned into body fat, increased significantly when the study subjects drank the drinks with fructose. When fructose was given at breakfast, the body was more likely to store the fats eaten at lunch.

Dr. Parks noted that the study likely underestimates the fat-building effect of fructose because the study subjects were lean and healthy. In overweight people, the effect may be amplified.

Although fruit contains fructose, it also contains many beneficial nutrients, so dieters shouldn’t eliminate fruit from their diets. But limiting processed foods containing high-fructose corn syrup as well as curbing calories is a good idea, Dr. Parks said.

“There are lots of people out there who want to demonize fructose as the cause of the obesity epidemic,” she said. “I think it may be a contributor, but it’s not the only problem. Americans are eating too many calories for their activity level. We’re overeating fat, we’re overeating protein and we’re overeating all sugars.”

 

[Hipple Long Ware & Peete]

I've seen two commercials in the last few days essentially mocking those who are against high fructose corn syrup. They are on the innernets

http://sweetsurprise.com/

FAQs

Sweeteners and Health

The Benefits of Sweeteners

Sugar, Honey and High Fructose Corn Syrup

Reduced- and Low-Calorie Sweeteners

Sweeteners and Health

Are sugars bad for your health?

The effect of sugar and other caloric (nutritive) sweeteners on health has been studied many times by many authoritative groups, culminating in approval of these food ingredients by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as safe for use as part of a healthy diet. Like any other food or food ingredient, sugar can be entirely safe when consumed in moderation as part of a balanced diet. Excessive consumption of sugar could lead to adverse health effects just as excessive or unbalanced consumption of many otherwise safe food ingredients could potentially be problematic for some individuals. (2)

What are fruit juice concentrates?

In fruit juice concentrates the raw juice from the fruit has been purified through heat and enzyme processing and filtered to remove fiber, flavor components and impurities. The end product is almost identical (in calories, sugars and nutrients) to sugar, honey or high fructose corn syrup. The food industry uses fruit juice concentrates in jams, canned fruits, beverages and some baked goods to improve customer perception of product labels. They are metabolized no differently than other caloric (nutritive) sweeteners. (3)

Are all caloric (nutritive) sweeteners metabolized similarly?

Yes. The body digests caloric (nutritive) sweeteners by breaking them into smaller units, primarily glucose and fructose. These “simple” sugars are absorbed into the bloodstream, where they are transported to the cells of the body and are then converted into energy. Though the individual sugars are metabolized by different pathways, this is of little consequence since the body sees the same mix of sugars from caloric (nutritive) sweeteners, regardless of source. (2)

How does sugar affect the body?

Sugar contributes energy (calories) and provides building blocks for other molecules the body needs (e.g. proteins and fats).

Are some sweeteners better for your teeth than others?

Yes. Polyols such as xylitol, sorbitol and erythritol do not contribute to dental caries (cavitites). Likewise, low-calorie sweeteners such as aspartame and saccharin do not contribute to tooth decay because they are used in such minute quantities. All caloric (nutritive) sweeteners, including sugar, honey and high fructose corn syrup, contain carbohydrates that “feed” bacteria in the mouth and can contribute to tooth decay.

Will high fructose corn syrup or sugar make me obese?

No single food or ingredient is the sole cause of obesity, but rather too many calories and too little exercise is a primary cause. Both sugar and high fructose corn syrup contain 4 calories per gram. (4)

The Benefits of Sweeteners

Why do we crave sweetness?

People have evolved from the hunter-gatherers when sweetness indicated that a food was safe to eat. Sweetness was and still is a key taste marker to survival and good health. Sugars as carbohydrates are an important supply of energy to the body. This energy was essential to our survival in our not-so-distant, hunter-gatherer past. However, over the last 12,000 years our way of life has changed significantly. In contrast to our past, an abundance of calories is not essential, but the craving for sweet things remains. (1)

What benefits do nutritive sweeteners provide other than sweetness?

* They provide texture and enhance “mouthfeel.”

* They act as preservatives, protecting the flavor, aroma and color of the fruits used in jellies, jams and preserves.

* They help baked foods brown.

* They provide fermentable sugars that help bread rise.

* They help retain moisture, so high fiber products taste better and baked goods stay fresh.

* They contribute to the “bulk,” or volume, of ice cream, baked goods and preserves and jams.

* They reduce the harsh vinegar or acid bite in non-sweet foods, such as salad dressings, sauces and condiments.

* They improve flavor and texture and help preserve the natural color and structure of fruits used for canning and freezing.

* They help control freezing, melting and boiling points of products. (2)

Are some caloric (nutritive) sweeteners more natural than others?

No. All the major caloric (nutritive) sweeteners including sugar, honey and high fructose corn syrup require processing to make the final sweetener. All are considered natural food ingredients under the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s definition of the term “natural.” Under FDA rules, “natural” means that “nothing artificial or synthetic (including all color additives regardless of source) has been included in, or has been added to, a food that would not normally be expected to be in the food.” (5)

Sugar, Honey, and High Fructose Corn Syrup

What are caloric (nutritive) sweeteners?

There are many caloric (nutritive) sweeteners like:

* table sugar

* honey

* high fructose corn syrup

* fruit juice concentrates

* glucose

* evaporated cane juice

* hydrolyzed cane juice

* fructose

* dextrose

* invert sugar

How do sugar, honey and high fructose corn syrup compare in terms of calories?

Table Sugar, honey and high fructose corn syrup all have 4 calories per gram. (2)

How many calories in a teaspoon of sugar?

A teaspoon of sugar contains 16 calories. (2)

Is there a difference between sugar produced from sugar beets or sugar cane?

No. Sugar — whether it's made from beet or cane — is 100% sucrose, a disaccharide of equal parts fructose and glucose. (6)

Is honey healthier than sugar or high fructose corn syrup?

No. All caloric (nutritive) sweeteners are carbohydrates that provide energy our bodies need. Honey also contain proteins, amino acids, vitamins and minerals, but since all of these compounds together make up less than 0.5% of honey, you would have to consume vast quantities to gain this additional nutritional value. (2)

Is high fructose corn syrup sweeter than sugar?

No. High fructose corn syrup is not sweeter than sugar. When high fructose corn syrup was created it was specifically formulated to provide sweetness equivalent to sucrose (table sugar). In order for food and beverage makers to use high fructose corn syrup in place of sucrose, it was important that it provide the same level of sweetness as sucrose so that consumers would not perceive a difference in product sweetness and taste. (7)

What’s the difference between fructose, corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup?

The terms fructose, corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup are sometimes incorrectly used interchangeably. They have widely different compositions and perform distinctly different functions in foods and beverages. Fructose is a simple sugar commonly found in sugar, fruits and honey. Corn syrup, which is entirely glucose-based, is used as a non-sweet thickener. High fructose corn syrup is a sweetener that's made of nearly equal portions of fructose and glucose. (7)

Does high fructose corn syrup have a lot of fructose in it?

High fructose corn syrup got its name from the fact that it is high in fructose relative to corn syrup. However, high fructose corn syrup has approximately the same amount of fructose as that found in sugar or honey. (7)

Is high fructose corn syrup metabolized differently than other sweeteners?

No. The myth that high fructose corn syrup is metabolized differently than other caloric (nutritive) sweeteners is based on studies that looked at pure fructose, not the mixture of fructose and glucose found in high fructose corn syrup. The most recent metabolic research published in the February 2007 edition of Nutrition found “no differences in the metabolic effects” of high fructose corn syrup and sucrose on circulating levels of glucose, leptin, insulin and ghrelin in a study group of lean women. (8)

Why did food and beverage manufacturers switch from sugar to high fructose corn syrup to sweeten products?

High fructose corn syrup has gained a prominent position in the U.S. food industry for many reasons: it is stable in acid systems (sucrose is not), providing sweetness and flavor stability lacking in sugar in similar circumstances; it inhibits microbial spoilage by reducing water activity and extends shelf life through superior moisture control; it helps canned foods taste fresher; and it is easy to transport and incorporate into recipes. While price may have been a factor in food manufacturers' choice in sweeteners more than 20 years ago, U.S. food manufacturers' continued use of high fructose corn syrup is based on the benefits it provides rather than its price relative to sugar. (7)

Reduced- and Low-Calorie Sweeteners

What types of low-calorie sweeteners are on the market?

The most common low-calorie sweeteners approved for use today are:

* acesulfame potassium (Ace-K)

* aspartame

* saccharin

* sucralose

What is the difference between the various low-calorie sweeteners?

Low-calorie sweeteners have varying levels of sweetness ranging from 180 times as sweet as sugar to 7,000 times as sweet as sugar. To compare 15 different sweeteners, including five low-calorie sweeteners, click here.

Why do low-calorie sweeteners have few calories?

Low-calorie sweeteners are generally several hundred to several thousand times sweeter than sugar. Because of their intense sweetening power, these sweeteners are used in very small amounts and thus add only a negligible amount of calories to foods and beverages. (9)

Are low-calorie sweeteners safe?

Low-calorie sweeteners are tested and regulated by federal authorities and various international organizations to ensure the safety of the foods and beverages that use them. (9)

What types of reduced-calorie sweeteners are on the market?

The most common reduced-calorie sweeteners include:

* sorbitol

* mannitol

* xylitol

* maltitol

* maltitol syrup

* lactitol

* erythritol

* isomalt

* hydrogenated starch hydrolysates

How do the calories in reduced-calorie sweeteners compare to caloric (nutritive) sweeteners?

Reduced-calorie sweeteners have calorie contents that range from 1.5 to 3 calories per gram compared to 4 calories per gram for sucrose or other sugars. (9)

Can you consume too much reduced-calorie sweetener?

Reduced-calorie sweeteners are slowly and incompletely absorbed from the small intestine into the blood. Some of the sweetener is not absorbed into the blood. This passes through the small intestine and is fermented by bacteria in the large intestine. Thus, over-consumption can produce abdominal gas and discomfort in some individuals. (9)

[footnotes]

1. Leopold AC, Ardrey R. Toxic substances in plants and the food habits of early man. Science. 1972 May 5;176(34):512-4; O'Sullivan G. June 2006. Sweeteners: Where do we go from here? International Food Ingredients June/July 2006.

2. See generally Alexander RJ. 1998. Sweeteners: Nutritive. Eagan Press; National Honey Board. 2007. Honey: A Reference Guide to Nature's Sweetener; Coulston AM, Johnson RK. 2002. Sugar and sugars: Myths and realities. J Am Diet Assoc 102(3):351-353; International Food Information Council. November 2006. Carbohydrates and Sugars Backgrounder.

3. Forshee RA, Storey ML, Allison DB, Glinsmann WH, Hein GL, Lineback DR, Miller SA, Nicklas TA, Weaver GA, White JS. 2007. A Critical Examination of the Evidence Relating High Fructose Corn Syrup and Weight Gain. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. 47(6):561-582.

4. See generally Nobigrot T, Chasalow FI, Lif####z F. 1997. Carbohydrate absorption from one serving of fruit juice in young children: age and carbohydrate composition effects. J Am Coll Nutr 16:152-158; Chaplin M, Bucke C. 1990. Enzymes in the fruit juice, wine, brewing and distilling industries, in Enzyme Technology. Cambridge Univ. Press.

5. 58 Federal Register 2302, 2407 (Jan. 6, 1993).

6. The Sugar Association, Inc. November 2005. About Sugar.

7. See generally Alexander RJ. 1998. Sweeteners: Nutritive. Eagan Press; Hanover LM, White JS. 1993. Manufacturing, composition and applications of fructose. Am J Clin Nutr 58(suppl 5):724S-732S; White JS. 1992. Fructose syrup: production, properties and applications, in FW Schenck & RE Hebeda, eds, Starch Hydrolysis Products - Worldwide Technology, Production, and Applications. VCH Publishers, Inc. 177-200.

8. Melanson KJ, Zukley L, Lowndes J, Nguyen V, Angelopoulos TJ, Rippe JM. 2007. Effects of high-fructose corn syrup and sucrose consumption on circulating glucose, insulin, leptin, and ghrelin and on appetite in normal-weight women. Nutrition. 23(2):103-12.

9. See generally O'Brien Nabors L, ed. 2001. Alternative Sweeteners. 3rd ed. New York: Marcel Dekker, Inc.; Calorie Control Council. 2007. Questions & Answers About Polyols; International Food Information Council. December 2006. Sugar Alcohols Fact Sheet; International Food Information Council. May 2006. Facts about Low-Calorie Sweeteners.

 

[shake zula]

If high fructose corn syrup was sold in true syrup form so that I could use it on my pancakes I would buy it by the barrel.

 

[Jobber]

If high fructose corn syrup was sold in true syrup form so that I could use it on my pancakes I would buy it by the barrel.

It is. It's called Aunt Jemima, Log Cabin, and any/all pancake syrups. That's why they're so cheap. Look at the ingredients and they're about 99.9% HFCS. Maple Syrup however has none. But it's spendy.

 

[TommyGilmore]

I've seen two commercials in the last few days essentially mocking those who are against high fructose corn syrup. They are on the innernets

http://sweetsurprise.com/

Next thing you know they'll be mocking global warming...

 

[Autumn Wind]

Wow, just read through most of this thread. Good (but scary) stuff. I and the missus have recently made an effort to drastically reduce the amount of takeout food we eat. It's saved us money and we feel better. I think HFCS is up next on the chopping block.

 

[toshiba]

Wow, just read through most of this thread. Good (but scary) stuff. I and the missus have recently made an effort to drastically reduce the amount of takeout food we eat. It's saved us money and we feel better. I think HFCS is up next on the chopping block.

My wife and I have been trying to do this for a couple years now. Non-HFCS food is much more expensive, so plan on the money you saved from lack of takeout going right to non-HFCS foods. There is a reason why poor people are fatter then rich people, the cheap foods are HFCS rich.

 

[TitusIII]

People posting in this thread would probably enjoy the documentary King Corn. It sounds goofy, but is a pretty entertaining look at a couple of guys from Boston who move to Iowa for a year to grow corn and track it through the marketplace. It's ends up being virtually impossible to track as corn ends up in almost everything. It covers HFCS, the problems with corn-fed beef, and economic issues surrounding American agriculture, among other topics.

I've pretty much cut most of the processed crap out of my diet, but it's borderline impossible to eat 100% clean...and well, the perfect diet is just an illusion, we'll never truly know, at least in our lifetime. But yeah, excellent film, and HFCS ( to the ridiculous commercials) ... we pretty much know it 'aint good for our system, but hey, it's cheap to produce!

Sorry for the following "hey look at my diet/workout" thread-jack, but I'm bored out of my mind at work today so here goes!

I eat all of my carbs for the day(around 50-100g of highest quality oats I can find) in the morning/hour before workout. I'll also consume around 10g of dextrose to restore glycogen and stimulate protein synthesis(pack of smarties is pure dextrose...good stuff) with a BCAA protein shake immediately following a hard workout(this is extremely important, as most of you lifters already know). I don't have a degree in biology/nutrition, but my body feels the best when it is provided quality amino acids and protein(any more than 35% of total calories is overkill, imo...I'm partial to the ON Vanilla Whey powder that tastes pretty good mixed with water) and quality animal fats(I've got these fangs for a reason!). I try to limit my carb intake to 20% of my daily calories, but as long as you aren't at some ridiculous level like 75%+(and you'd be surprised at how many of us are pretty damn close to that level) and/or filling up on the "empty" carbs, your body can run just fine using carbs as option #1.

 

[Maurile Tremblay]

High-fructose corn syrup fights back

 

[Ministry of Pain]

High-fructose corn syrup fights back

I saw an add on TV and was like ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!I bet Dr Evil is helping them fight back...I forget the real guy's name but he is a 65 year old very tall attorney and lobbyist who really attacks anyone that comes out from the health industry trying to legislate what folks are eating...like transfats a couple years ago.

 

[Zasada]

You thought the Airline and Oil Companies were ripping us off.

Fixed. Since deregulation airlines have been unprofitable as an industry. I think a qualification for ripping someone off is actually turning a profit as well. Air travel has been subsidized by shareholders/investors for years.

 

[Team]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/21/dining/2...rss&emc=rss

Sugar Is Back on Food Labels, This Time as a Selling Point

Benjamin Sklar for The New York Times

Cane sugar has replaced high-fructose corn syrup in all but a few carbonated beverages at Jason’s, a deli chain in 27 states.

Sugar, the nutritional pariah that dentists and dietitians have long reviled, is enjoying a second act, dressed up as a natural, healthful ingredient.

From the tomato sauce on a Pizza Hut pie called “The Natural,” to the just-released soda Pepsi Natural, some of the biggest players in the American food business have started, in the last few months, replacing high-fructose corn syrup with old-fashioned sugar.

ConAgra uses only sugar or honey in its new Healthy Choice All Natural frozen entrees. Kraft Foods recently removed the corn sweetener from its salad dressings, and is working on its Lunchables line of portable meals and snacks.

The turnaround comes after three decades during which high-fructose corn syrup had been gaining on sugar in the American diet. Consumption of the two finally drew even in 2003, according to the Department of Agriculture. Recently, though, the trend has reversed. Per capita, American adults ate about 44 pounds of sugar in 2007, compared with about 40 pounds of high-fructose corn syrup.

“Sugar was the old devil, and high-fructose corn syrup is the new devil,” said Marcia Mogelonsky, a senior analyst at Mintel International, a market-research company.

With sugar sales up, the Sugar Association last year ended its Sweet by Nature campaign, which pointed out that sugar is found in fruits and vegetables, said Andy Briscoe, president of the association. “Obviously, demand is moving in the right direction so we are taking a break,” Mr. Briscoe said.

Blamed for hyperactivity in children and studied as an addictive substance, sugar has had its share of image problems. But the widespread criticism of high-fructose corn syrup — the first lady, Michelle Obama, has said she will not give her children products made with it — has made sugar look good by comparison.

Most scientists do not share the perception. Though research is still under way, many nutrition and obesity experts say sugar and high-fructose corn syrup are equally bad in excess. But, as is often the case with competing food claims, the battle is as much about marketing as it is about science.

Some shoppers prefer cane or beet sugar because it is less processed. High-fructose corn syrup is produced by a complex series of chemical reactions that includes the use of three enzymes and caustic soda.

Others see the pervasiveness of the inexpensive sweetener as a symbol of the ill effects of government subsidies given to large agribusiness interests like corn growers.

But the most common argument has to do with the rapid rise of obesity in the United States, which began in the 1980s, not long after industrial-grade high-fructose corn syrup was invented. As the amount of the sweetener in the American diet has expanded, so have Americans.

Although the price differential has since dropped by about half, high-fructose corn syrup came on the market as much as 20 percent cheaper than sugar. And it was easier to transport. As a result, the sweetener soon turned up in all kinds of products, including soda, bread, yogurt, frozen foods and spaghetti sauce.

But with sugar newly ascendant, the makers of corn syrup are fighting back. Last fall, the Corn Refiners Association mounted a multimillion-dollar defense, making sure that an advertisement linking to the association’s Web site, sweetsurprise.com, pops up when someone types “sugar” or “high-fructose corn syrup” into some search engines.

In one television advertisement, a mother pours fruit punch into a cup while another scolds her because the punch contains high-fructose corn syrup. When pressed to explain why it is so bad, the complaining mother is portrayed as a speechless fool.

Audrae Erickson, president of the Corn Refiners Association, said consumers were being duped.

“When they discover they are being misled into thinking these new products are healthier, that’s the interesting angle,” Ms. Erickson said in an interview.

Although researchers are looking into the effects of fructose on liver function, insulin production and other possible contributors to excess weight gain, no major studies have made a definitive link between high-fructose corn syrup and poor health. The American Medical Association says that when it comes to obesity, there is no difference between the syrup and sugar.

And, Ms. Erickson added, the Food and Drug Administration considers both sweeteners natural.

Dr. Robert H. Lustig, a pediatric endocrinologist at the University of California, San Francisco Children’s Hospital, said: “The argument about which is better for you, sucrose or HFCS, is garbage. Both are equally bad for your health.”

Both sugar and high-fructose corn syrup are made from glucose and fructose. The level of fructose is about 5 percent higher in the corn sweetener.

Dr. Lustig studies the health effects of fructose, particularly on the liver, where it is metabolized. Part of his research shows that too much fructose — no matter the source — affects the liver in the same way too much alcohol does.

But all of that is irrelevant to some food manufacturers, who are switching to sugar as a result of extensive taste testing and consumer surveys.

“For consumers, their perception is reality,” said Jim Sieple, a senior vice president for Log Cabin syrup, a 120-year-old brand in the Pinnacle Foods Group that this month announced it had stopped using high-fructose corn syrup.

Sugar’s comeback is not entirely a backlash against the corn sweetener. Market researchers say that with the economy so unsettled, people want to control what they can. Choosing organic, less processed or so-called natural foods is a relatively inexpensive way to do that.

“Rightly or wrongly, that means consumers are more attracted to sugar,” said Kevin Higar, senior manager at Technomics, a market research company.

Chefs and connoisseurs have also driven sugar’s rehabilitation. Although even a sugar expert would be hard pressed to tell the difference between the taste of cane and beet sugar, some enthusiasts have elevated cane sugar to near cult status.

The Coke that is made from sugar for Jews who avoid corn during Passover has become so popular among cane-sugar fans that some stores have taken to rationing it.

At Jason’s, a chain of delis with 200 restaurants in 27 states, cane sugar has replaced high-fructose corn syrup in everything except a few carbonated beverages. “Part of this is a huge rebellion against HFCS,” said Daniel Helfman, a spokesman for the chain, “but part of it is taste.”

To researchers and nutritionists who study obesity and the effects of sugar on the body, the resurrection of sugar is maddening.

Pat Crawford of the Center for Weight and Health at the University of California, Berkeley, remembers when sugar was such a loaded word that cereal makers changed the name of products like Sugar Pops to Corn Pops.

Even though overall consumption of caloric sweeteners is starting to drop, Dr. Crawford says an empty calorie is still an empty calorie. And it does not matter whether people think sugar is somehow “retro,” a word used to promote new, sugar-based versions of Pepsi and Mountain Dew called Throwback.

“If people really want to go back to where we were, that means not putting sugar in everything,” she said. “It means keeping it to desserts.”

 

[Maurile Tremblay]

Sugar as a health food is kind of incredibly silly.

Calorie for calorie, sugar and HFCS are roughly equally bad. (Sucrose breaks down into 50% glucose and 50% fructose while HFCS is 45% glucose and 55% fructose. Not a huge difference.)

The problem with HFCS is that it's so cheap (because it's heavily subsidized) that food-makers put it in everything. It's in hot dogs. It's in canned soup. It's in bread. It's in mayonnaise. It's in all kinds of stuff that you wouldn't put sugar in, due to both the cost and the texture. HFCS is in pretty much everything in the center aisles of the grocery store. That's why it's so bad -- because there's a ton of it everywhere.

But if we're talking about 100 calories worth of HFCS in a Pepsi verus 100 calories worth of sucrose in a "natural" soda, there really isn't that big a difference. They're both poison. Roughly equally so.

 

[Chiwawa]

The HFCS commercials always use the qualifier "...in moderation...". I would love them to define exactly what 'moderation' is, and show examples.

 

[Jobber]

My wife came home tonight with a 12-pack of Pepsi Throwback. It's made with cane sugar. I had heard this stuff is coming out and told my wife to keep a lookout for it when she was at the grocery store.

I threw some in the fridge for tomorrow.

 

[Maurile Tremblay]

This video is long, but the guy is a good speaker and the information is very well presented.

 

[Arsenal of Doom]

This video is long, but the guy is a good speaker and the information is very well presented.

Only got 10 minutes in right now, but looks great. Will check out the rest this weekend.

 

[Big Blue Wrecking Crew]

Maybe this has been raised already in this thread, but I have noticed a number of products touting that they no longer contain HCFS. In checking the ingredients on some, corn syrup now appears. Curious what level (if any) of upgrade this is? Guessing not much, but even a little is something

 

[Daywalker]

Rich people are skinnier?

Or do rich guys marry skinny women?

 

[Harpua]

Has anyone really looked into this problem? Do people think this is not that big of a problem and it will just work itself out and go away? Is anyone not aware how this HFCS crap is made and subsidized by the governement? Do you even care?

read In Defense of Food and The Omnivore's Delemma by Michael Pollanboth discuss HFCS and the problems with the Western Diet

Edit: I see Omnivore's Delemma has been recommended in another post, but both books are very good at discussing the corn problem. We eat more corn than any other nation

 

[Fallerjw]

This video is long, but the guy is a good speaker and the information is very well presented.

This should be required viewing.

 

[Death Bytes]

This video is long, but the guy is a good speaker and the information is very well presented.

Every 90 minutes of that video was worth watching. Thank you for posting it!

 

[Chunky Soup]

Has anyone really looked into this problem? Do people think this is not that big of a problem and it will just work itself out and go away? Is anyone not aware how this HFCS crap is made and subsidized by the governement? Do you even care?

read In Defense of Food and The Omnivore's Delemma by Michael Pollanboth discuss HFCS and the problems with the Western Diet

Edit: I see Omnivore's Delemma has been recommended in another post, but both books are very good at discussing the corn problem. We eat more corn than any other nation

I Michael Pollan's stuff.

 

[Genedoc]

This video is long, but the guy is a good speaker and the information is very well presented.

Watched the first 10 minutes of this and cannot wait to see the remainder. Great link. I absolutely think the abundance of sugar in the modern diet is a major contributing factor to obesity and many other chronic illnesses. What I've struggled with finding much evidence of is that HFCS is any worse than sucrose (table sugar). Most of you know this, but sucrose is a disaccharide that consists of glucose and fructose. HFCS is also about 50% fructose and 50% glucose. I think replacing HFCS in your diet with sucrose is of trivial benefit. I think replacing either of these nutritive sugars with non-nutritive sweeteners is a step in the right direction, and I think replacing all sweeteners would do amazing things for our overall health.

 

[Genedoc]

This video is long, but the guy is a good speaker and the information is very well presented.

Best presentation on health/nutrition I've seen in a very, very long time. Exceptional presentation.

 

[Arsenal of Doom]

This video is long, but the guy is a good speaker and the information is very well presented.

He says that straight out fairly early in the presentation; from a metabolic standpoint, he sees no difference between the two. HFCS is also about half the cost of sugar, which he believes is a major factor in it becoming so pervasive in processed food. I also thought it was interesting that even though HFCS is sweeter than sugar, and therefore would rationally require less to produce the same level of sweetness, manufacturers actually use more (at least according to the speaker).

 

[Hov34]

This video is long, but the guy is a good speaker and the information is very well presented.

Wow, this was very eye opening. I have gotten the family to move away from HFCS and look towards "regular" sugar - looks like i'm not doing much... So what are some "ok" carbs (glucose)?Rice, pasta? what else?

 

[Arsenal of Doom]

This video is long, but the guy is a good speaker and the information is very well presented.

Apparently it's not so much the carbs as fructose minus the presence of fiber. In other words, processed sugar and HFCS should be specifically minimized. But naturally occurring sugars, like in fruit, aren't a problem, nor are the glucose based carbs found in grains, etc. Also the underlying theme was clearly to eat more fiber generally.

 

[Maurile Tremblay]

What I've struggled with finding much evidence of is that HFCS is any worse than sucrose (table sugar).

They're both so bad for you, I don't think it's all that important whether one is a bit worse than the other.But here's the argument that HFCS is worse than sucrose.

Not all fructose is the same. The fructose we and our ancestors have been eating for millions of years (mostly in fruit) is bound together with other sugars, and is in the form of L-fructose, also called levulose. This is the form of fructose we get from breaking down sucrose.

But the fructose in HFCS is not only free, unbound fructose; it is also a different isomer, D-fructose. (There is a small amount of D-fructose in fruits as well, but its polarity is reversed from the fructose in HFCS.)

While our bodies know how to use familiar forms of fructose for fuel (by converting it to blood glucose), the unfamiliar form in which it appears in HCFS (which human bodies would not have encountered until the 1970s) cannot directly be used for energy very well, so it's more likely to be converted into triglycerides and adipose tissue instead.

So while the fructose we get from sucrose is poison, the fructose in HFCS is even worse. That's the argument, anyway. I don't know whether it's correct.

 

[FinHead]

This video is long, but the guy is a good speaker and the information is very well presented.

It was really good to see the history and the biochemical science behind all this, explained in a very easy to follow presentation!Thanks for posting this

 

[The_Hoser]

141 pounds of sugar a year. Good golly. This guy is awesome.

I just ate a granola bar and looked at the ingredients -- "golden syrup"? Is that the same as this stuff?

 

[Maurile Tremblay]

This video is long, but the guy is a good speaker and the information is very well presented.

A number of people in this thread liked that video.Here's another by the same guy, also very good: "The trouble with fructose: A Darwinian perspective" by Robert Lustig, MD.

 

[One]

I love the HFCS.

 

[grateful zed]

I love the HFCS.

most of the banned do as well.

 

[pittstownkiller]

I'm sure it is covered somewhere in this thread but Heinz (Simply Heinz) and Del-Monte both make a sugar-based ketchup/catsup; IMO, the Simply Heinz is far superior in taste to HFCS Heinz and doesn't separate as readily with liquid coming out first.

 

[Eastwood]

I had a Sierra Mist the other day, with natural sugar, no artificial junk, and it was really good. I don't drink much soft drinks, but I think IF you are going to, that's the drink to consume.

 

[Dexter]

What do people have against corn?

 

[DiStefano]

People killed by "organic foods": 100+

People killed by HFCS: 0

People taken in by the modern equivalent of Salem witch hysteria: Millions.

 

[joffer]

Good video, but now I can't freakin drink OJ??

 

[Drunken Cowboy]

People killed by "organic foods": 100+People killed by HFCS: 0People taken in by the modern equivalent of Salem witch hysteria: Millions.

People who die of diabetes related complications in the US - around 70,000Obesity - over 100,000

 

[pittstownkiller]

Wife got a coke from her boss from mexico. No HFCS in it. i found it very interesting. We try to keep this away from our kids as much as possible. Probably is one of the reasons why their is an increased number of American kids who are becoming diabetics.

Someone on this board said that HFCS is banned in some countries, including Mexico. Mexican coke is the bomb.

You should try Peruvian.

 

[the moops]

People killed by "organic foods": 100+People killed by HFCS: 0People taken in by the modern equivalent of Salem witch hysteria: Millions.

 

[Chaka]

People killed by "organic foods": 100+People killed by HFCS: 0People taken in by the modern equivalent of Salem witch hysteria: Millions.

What do you mean when you say "killed by organic foods"?I do believe that HFCS is being demonized disproportionately when sucrose consumption is an equally large problem in this country. But I don't have any idea what you mean by suggesting that something there is inherently dangerous about eating organically grown foods.There are far more health problems related to HFCS and sucrose consumption than organic farming practices and it isn't even close. Not to mention the outbreaks of salmonella, e.coli O157:H7 and the like that are propagated by large ag farming practices, and have a much larger distribution network than any true organic farm could ever hope to have, that have killed thousands over the years.

 

[jdoggydogg]

People killed by "organic foods": 100+People killed by HFCS: 0People taken in by the modern equivalent of Salem witch hysteria: Millions.

This is just terrible.HFCS is part of a multi-billion dollar industry that profits on obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.

 

[DiStefano]

People killed by "organic foods": 100+People killed by HFCS: 0People taken in by the modern equivalent of Salem witch hysteria: Millions.

This is just terrible.HFCS is part of a multi-billion dollar industry that profits on obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.

Yeah, get your pitchfork out. There are witches in them thar big companies, and they are sticking pins in dolls.

 

[jdoggydogg]

People killed by "organic foods": 100+People killed by HFCS: 0People taken in by the modern equivalent of Salem witch hysteria: Millions.

This is just terrible.HFCS is part of a multi-billion dollar industry that profits on obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.

Yeah, get your pitchfork out. There are witches in them thar big companies, and they are sticking pins in dolls.

Corn farmer?

 

[Chaka]

People killed by "organic foods": 100+People killed by HFCS: 0People taken in by the modern equivalent of Salem witch hysteria: Millions.

This is just terrible.HFCS is part of a multi-billion dollar industry that profits on obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.

Yeah, get your pitchfork out. There are witches in them thar big companies, and they are sticking pins in dolls.

You are not doing much to convey any knowledge that would make people rethink their opinions.What do you mean by people being killed by organic food? Do you think it is objectively worse than the dozens of instances of disease vectors being widely distributed by large agricultural farms and feedlots?

 

[Da Guru]

I probably consume myself one bottle of ketchup and one container of mustard a year...am I going to die?

 

[Otis]

How did 100 people die from organic food?