High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is in almost EVERYTHING these days. There are many pros and cons that can be debated around this topic and according to the HFCS sponsored website “it’s okay” but they do state, it is, ‘okay in moderation just like any other sugar-like product.’ You do the research, preferably not on a website that promotes a certain product. For example, if you want to do research on how milk affects our daily health you do not want to only go to the Dairy Farmers of America website to read their research. It will have great points but the opinions are biased and we are all pretty sure that nature did not intend for humans to go through their entire lives being breastfed into adulthood by a bovine creature.
HFCS replaces sugar in various processed foods in the United States. The main reasons for this switch are:
- Per relative sweetness, HFCS 55 is comparable to table sugar (sucrose), a disaccharide of fructose and glucose.
- HFCS is cheaper in the United States as a result of a combination of corn subsidies and sugar tariffs and quotas
- HFCS is easier to blend and transport because it is a liquid.
Now let’s look at how it affects your health.
In terms of calories, one cup of high fructose corn syrup has 871 calories, about 10% more than table sugar (sucrose) with 774 calories.
When rats are drinking high-fructose corn syrup at levels well below those in soda pop, they’re becoming obese – every single one, across the board. Even when rats are fed a high-fat diet, you don’t see this; they don’t all gain extra weight.” Long term consumption of high fructose corn syrup caused abnormal increases in body fat, mainly around the abdomen and displayed signs of metabolic syndrome
In a Princeton study comparing rats eating HFCS and a control group of rats eating only rat chow, those that had HCFS (high fructose corn syrup) showed signs of ‘metabolic syndrome’ and gained 48% more weight in the same amount of time. The rats were not only gaining weight but becoming obese
High Fructose Corn Syrup lowers dietary Zinc and increases Copper gain which in turn lowers the Zinc/Copper ratio. Children with autism, pervasive developmental disorder-NOS and Asperger’s syndrome all have this biomarker indicating heavy metal toxicity.
Take a look in your pantry or refrigerator and read ingredient listings. You will be surprised how much you and your family ingest on a daily basis. YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT!