Is the High Fructose Corn Syrup Ad Right – Is it Harmless?

A few friends had mentioned seeing a commercial stating that High Fructose Corn Syrup was natural and harmless.  I finally saw it myself this weekend.  Wow, what I was most amazed about was the lack of information that was given.  I guess when you are trying to promote a unhealthy product, less is more.

If you haven’t seen it – a man and woman are picnicking and the woman is holding a red Popsicle.  She offers it to him and he declines because it has high fructose corn syrup in it.  When she asks him Why that is a ‘bad’ thing, he is unable to respond.  This is the crux of the commercial, he can’t verbalize WHY it has a negative effect on his health.  Because of this, she tells him that it is made from corn and it is natural.  Then finishing with something about it being OK in moderation.

The sad fact is unless you have a PhD in natural health and /or nutrition, it is hard to articulate what you’ve read and believe. I know… I still have trouble sometimes and it has been my main reading/hobby/interest/career for the last 5 years!

Having a massive interest in ‘natural’ food and ‘alternative’ health, spawned by my daughter’s miraculous recovery from JRA (Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis) using these methods, I’ve removed High Fructose Corn Syrup from my family’s diet.                                                                                                                                                                   

I’m not surprised that this commercial is out… I mean the organic food movement is getting larger.  When I began eating all organic food years ago, there was not an organic piece of produce or anything in the ‘regular’ grocery store.  Now most stores at last have some sections designated for organic products.  Most of these labels state NO HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, which is one of the ingredients informed consumers look to avoid.  The corn syrup producers must be very unhappy about this and are trying to fight their demise.

After watching the commercial I thought about what I would have said when asked WHY is HFCS bad?

Well, what I know is that High Fructose Corn Syrup is unhealthy because it is a sweetener which raises insulin levels, which has negative effects on the body.  Just like it is a well known fact today that sugar does this and it is best to minimize or omit it from your diet.

So what makes HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP so bad?  You can read many different articles that give you the scientific breakdown of what HFCS is and why is is unhealthy.  To read specifics, check out - What is High Fructose Corn Syrup or  Six Reasons Why Corn is Making You Fat by Joseph Mercola.

But the overall picture is this.  High Fructose Corn Syrup was created by Japanese Scientists in the 70’s. (which back before this obesity rates were very low, coincidence?)

HFCS is now the prevalent sweetener used in the US for many reasons, but mostly money.  It is cheaper. (surprise surprise)

It isn’t natural because it is modified.  High Fructose Corn Syrup is made by adding enzymes to cornstarch to change the make up.

I could go on and on, but why?  You’ll forget and it really isn’t important.  Why? Because it is just as bad for you as sugar and is more prevalent in the American diet than sugar.  And no one is arguing that we need to cut back on sugar.

I mean every knows and doesn’t fight the fact that:       

Here is a list of ways sugar can affect your health:

• Sugar can suppress the immune system.
• Sugar can upset the body’s mineral balance.
• Sugar can contribute to hyperactivity, anxiety, depression, concentration difficulties, and crankiness in children.
• Sugar can produce a significant rise in triglycerides.
• Sugar can cause drowsiness and decreased activity in children.
• Sugar can reduce helpful high density cholesterol (HDLs).
• Sugar can promote an elevation of harmful cholesterol (LDLs).
• Sugar can cause hypoglycemia.
• Sugar contributes to a weakened defense against bacterial infection.
• Sugar can cause kidney damage.
• Sugar can increase the risk of coronary heart disease.
• Sugar may lead to chromium deficiency.
• Sugar can cause copper deficiency.
• Sugar interferes with absorption of calcium and magnesium.
• Sugar can increase fasting levels of blood glucose.
• Sugar can promote tooth decay.
• Sugar can produce an acidic stomach.
• Sugar can raise adrenaline levels in children.
• Sugar can lead to periodontal disease.
• Sugar can speed the aging process, causing wrinkles and grey hair.
• Sugar can increase total cholesterol.
• Sugar can contribute to weight gain and obesity.
• High intake of sugar increases the risk of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
• Sugar can contribute to diabetes.
• Sugar can contribute to osteoporosis.
• Sugar can cause a decrease in insulin sensitivity.
• Sugar can cause cardiovascular disease.
• Sugar can increase systolic blood pressure.
• Sugar causes food allergies.
• Sugar can cause free radical formation in the bloodstream.
• Sugar can cause toxemia during pregnancy.
• Sugar can contribute to eczema in children.
• Sugar can overstress the pancreas, causing damage.
• Sugar can cause liver cells to divide, increasing the size of the liver.
• Sugar can increase the amount of fat in the liver.
• Sugar can cause depression.
• Sugar can cause hormonal imbalance.
• Sugar can cause hypertension.
• Sugar can cause headaches, including migraines.
• Sugar can cause an increase in delta, alpha and theta brain waves, which can alter the mind’s ability to think clearly.
• Sugar can increase blood platelet adhesiveness which increases risk of blood clots and strokes.
• Sugar can increase insulin responses in those consuming high-sugar diets compared to low sugar diets.
• Sugar increases bacterial fermentation in the colon.

So it seems kind of silly that this is the Pro’s list for High Fructose Corn Syrup -

The Pro-High Fructose Corn Syrup people, namely those involved in its sale, and hhmm money, say that -

• The American Medical Association (AMA) recently concluded that “high fructose corn syrup does not appear to contribute to obesity more than other caloric sweeteners.” (Well, great they all contribute so it is not worse than sugar, that is saying something)

• Research confirms that high fructose corn syrup is safe and nutritionally the same as table sugar. (Wow, it is as nutritional as sugar, great! We just read all of the great benefits of eating sugar)

• High fructose corn syrup has the same number of calories as table sugar and is equal in sweetness. It contains no artificial or synthetic ingredients

• High fructose corn syrup offers numerous benefits. It keeps food fresh, enhances fruit and spice flavors, retains moisture in bran cereals, helps keep breakfast and energy bars moist, maintains consistent flavors in beverages and keeps ingredients evenly dispersed in condiments (these are all so important to the consumer, lets have moist stuff that lasts a long time so we can be fat and sick)

Pretty silly argument huh?

My last point – if you are serious about omitting the High Fructose Corn Syrup – become a label reader. Yes, it is a pain in the ass – but your body will thank you by feeling better.  You will be amazed that all it is in.  Some examples -

bread, cereal, candy, beverages, condiments, jelly, salad dressing, sauces, snacks, soups.

Hope this helped clear some of it up for you!

To Your Health,

www.GreenLifeSaver.net