Discovered in the 1970s, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) became a much-used ingredient in American processed food products. Because high fructose corn syrup is sweeter than sugar, keeps products fresh on the shelf longer and is cheaper to produce, food manufacturers found it more beneficial to their financial bottom line to use HFCS instead of sugar.
When, where and how often is it used?
All one has to do is take a walk down the juice or soda aisle of any supermarket in America and read the ingredients on the nutritional label of any beverage. More often than not, one of the first few ingredients is high fructose corn syrup. Since ingredients are listed in order of their predominance, a nutritional label with HFCS listed in first, second, third place means there is a lot of high fructose corn syrup.
HFCS is not limited to beverages only. Products such as bread, breakfast cereals, pop tarts, cookies, cakes, candy and a host of other products contain high fructose corn syrup.
Is HFCS really harmful?
There is much debate as to the actual affects of consuming high fructose corn syrup. It all depends on how much an individual ingests. Moderation is always advised when consuming such products. However, consuming large quantities of HFCS has been blamed for a variety of ails. It is said to contribute to the rise in obesity, increase in diabetes and purportedly blamed for causing an increase in cholesterol numbers, especially the less favorable LDL cholesterol.
While scientists are studying the ills of HFCS, they are hesitant to come to a final conclusion. However, if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, the chances are good that it is a duck. Whether or not scientists are willing to conclusively blame HFCS for the rise in many of the above ailments, it does make one wonder.
What should the consumer do?
Read, read and read.
- Read about the latest information and studies on the affects of high fructose corn syrup.
- Read the food labels. Determine if the product contains high fructose corn syrup and determine if it's the first, second or third ingredient. The lower it appears on the list of ingredients the better.
- Read about the process of making HFCS and what it is doing to the environment. Apparently producing high fructose corn syrup is an energy intensive process and it leaves a large environmental footprint.
Unless consumers start growing and producing their own food they are stuck with making the decision to choose the lesser of the available evils. Read and choose wisely.
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