Is High Fructose Corn Syrup Really That Bad?

It can be confusing to read information about the various sweeteners that are used in processed food, especially because there are so many conflicting claims. High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is one of the controversial sweeteners that you need to learn more about. The marketing claims for this ingredient suggest that HFCS responds in a similar way within your body as regular sugar, but the truth is that there are some stark differences between real sugar and HFCS.

Health Problems from High Fructose Corn Syrup

Since HFCS was introduced to consumable food, obesity rates have tripled, and rates of diabetes diagnosis have increased seven fold. There are other food variables that might also be impacting these statistics, but there is no doubt that HFCS is playing a role in the poor health of developed nations. It has been said that High Fructose Corn Syrup can lead to cancer, because it is often contaminated with mercury through the processing that is required to make HFCS. When you eat HFCS, the mercury binds with selenium and decreases your selenium levels. Since lower selenium levels are associated with a high cancer risk, HFCS plays a direct role in this process. Drinking a single 20 ounce bottle of soda or sports drink that is sweetened with HFCS is equivalent to eating 17 teaspoons of sugar. This sugar consumption is very high, especially considering the fact that our hunter gatherer ancestors consumed approximately 20 teaspoons of sugar per week. This high level of sugar consumption is causing many health problems to occur.

How Much High Fructose Corn Syrup Do You Eat?

If you eat processed foods, then it is likely that you are consuming quite a bit of HFCS. This ingredient is added to a number of different food products, because it is used as a flavor enhancer. You can find HFCS in everything from candy and soda to tortilla chips and crackers. The use of HFCS in food has drastically increased since it was introduced to the food industry in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. Now, it is difficult to find processed food products that are made without HFCS. The easiest way to avoid this ingredient is by choosing whole, natural ingredients instead of processed foods. Are you interested in learning about healthy recipes that are made without HFCS? Unravel the Mystery Recipe Book provides you with delicious recipes to make it easier to plan meals without HFCS. Also, you should read Unravel the Mystery, by Ann Malkmus, so that you can learn about other ingredients that should be avoided in your meals.