High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) has seen it’s share if controversy, and many people like myself have endeavored to keep it out of our family’s diet. Yes, there are products in my home that contain HFCS, but they are the exception rather than the norm. I have thrown out products for having HFCS to high on the ingredient list.
In response to the public’s growing concerns, the industry started an aggressive campaign to clean up the image of HFCS. As many of you already know, this campaign is called Sweet Surprise. The goal of the Sweet Surprise PR campaign is to convince consumers that HFCS is just the same as table sugar, and that it is safe for you and your children.
This PR campaign is now targeting mom bloggers, to spread their pro-HFCS propaganda. This concerns me. While many home and family bloggers are quite savvy, and won’t simply accept studies presented from a biased perspective, others will assume that if there is scientific research backing the industry’s claims, they must have a legitimate message.
I am not debunking every study they quote, or claiming that HFCS is equivalent to poison, but there are several reasons why I avoid this sweetener in my own home. You will of course make your own decision whether this product is acceptable for your family, but I feel sharing with you, the reasons my own family avoids this ingredient is important. If you want the industry’s side of the story visit sweetsurprise.com.
HFCS – Obesity Connection
Earlier this year, researchers at Princeton published the results of a study comparing the effects of the consumption of HFCS vs. common table sugar. It was found that rats who consumed high-fructose corn syrup gained significantly more weight than those imbibing in table sugar. Although their overall caloric intake was the same, the HFCS eating rats got fatter. Perhaps, today’s kids are not fat just because they love TV and video games.
Here is a link to a Princeton University news article discussing this research.
The HFCS – Mercury Question
According to a study by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP), when tested 17 out of 55 products with HFCS, as one of their 2 primary ingredients, contained traceable levels of mercury. The tests were done on products gathered at one point in time, with one product sample for each, so this “snapshot” may not reflect the actual percentage of products which contain traceable levels of mercury. The study also did not ascertain the form of mercury present. Some forms, are more dangerous to humans than others. Yet, the study does show that some form of mercury is present, in at least some of these foods, as leftovers from the production process.
If you would like to read more about mercury and HFCS, this WebMD article discusses the study, and includes responses from manufacturers.
Cancer Cells Love HFCS
Doctor’s from UCLA’s Jonsson Cancer Center, released some disturbing findings about a month ago. The researchers found that Pancreatic tumor cells use fructose to divide and proliferate. Cells did not utilize glucose in the same manner. While the cancer cells thrived in glucose, they did not multiply with the speed of those fed fructose.
Here is a Reuters newswire article covering the reports release.
In my opinion, no matter how much the industry tries to “sugar coat” high fructose corn syrup, there is ample reason to avoid this artificial sweetener.
Very interesting! I read the email and the chat as going to be about HFCS… about it being bad. Haha Maybe I should read my emails more often. Because I know it’s not good for me or my kids. I was hoping to learn about ways to avoid it more easily from the chat. Guess I’ll be going there for the wrong reasons. Haha.
Thank you for posting this! I knew about the controversy and wondered why anyone would try to tell us that high fructose corn syrup is fine for us (and our kids!).
Wow – I had no idea about the cancer and mercury – thank you for this enlightening post. I can’t think of one good thing about high fructose…
I found your first article you linked very interesting, wish HFCS had a reply to it, that could be interesting.
I usually try and give my children only natural sugars. But I usually just focus on the drink etc. I will prob watch other stuff too.
Exactly! Well put! And thank you for the links to the studies. There are two main things I am trying to avoid in our house: MSG and HFCS. When I first saw the tv ads I was shocked and a bit confused. Were they really claiming it was no different than table sugar? They were! Then I got the invite you are talking about to listen to HFCS people try and sway my opinion. The health of my family is not based on opinions. Wow.
It bothers me when not so healthy products are marketed as healthy or unharmful.
Have you seen Food INC.? Very enlightening! Thank you for posting this. More people need to know about how bad HFCS is!
HFCS has been out of our home for a long time! They are really trying to say it’s the same as sugar, that’s nuts! Now I’m going to check out the site, I’m quite shocked. Thanks for posting.
I’ve been trying to make changes to avoid HFCS and it shocks me where it can be found
I knew about the obesity link, and that alone was enough for me to start avoiding HFCS. I had no idea about the mercury and cancer as well. HFCS, as well as a lot of other stuff if you look, is lurking in foods you wouldn’t even think about it being there. I have to read labels because I can’t eat MSG due to migraines, and my older son can’t eat anything with red dye. Those alone eliminate half the grocery store dry goods. I have to read labels EVERY time I shop because companies change formulas and recipes, and don’t tell us, the consumer. And you can say that the foods with these things in them should be eaten in moderation anyway, but go read the label of the cereal you feed your kids for breakfast. A lot of kids eat cereal every day or close to it.
Sorry for the tangent. I get so irritated with what our FDA allows into our foods. I’ll leave with food for thought. Some of the dyes and such in our foods are banned – BANNED – in other countries.
(Sorry for the tangent. I get so irritated with the crap our FDA allows in our food)
Amanda, like yourself I started removing HFCS from our home due to the metabolic issues. My husband and I stopped drinking soda before our daughter was born, so that she would not get caught in that trap, but soon realized HFCS, is in far too many foods, and often in high quantities. I honestly expected it to be in BBQ sauce, but not as the #1 ingredient (which it is for many brands).
I was unaware of HFCS’s propensity to spur the propliferation of cancer cells until the Aug 2nd report hit the newswires. At a bare minimum this should tell people with cancer in their family tree, to stop eating this stuff.
The mercury issue actually concerns me less, and is an easy fix for the industry.
Are they kidding? What an awful campaign, right? High Fructose Corn Syrup is NOT the same as sugar. Our bodies don’t recognize it the same. I just realized that even my BREAD had it, so I switched to organic without it. It’s crazy and I hope they eliminate it from the majority of foods. They only use it because it’s cheap – but we need healthy.