High fructose corn syrup...

Melmade

Anyone else notice this on foods? I saw "no high fructose corn syrup" on the front of a loaf of bread. When I checked the ingredients, one of the top ones was "fructose corn syrup". Don't they just have to move the corn syrup up in the list to allow just the same amount of sugar to be in the bread, rather than down on the list in it's more concentrated form?

frugalmomsrock

http://www.livestrong.com/article/260556-what-is-the-difference-between-plain-corn-syrup-high-fructose-corn-syrup/

Corn syrup is still in glucose form, while HFCS is in fructose form. I've never heard of just "fructose corn syrup."

What will they think of next??

TressaBarron

I'm not sure, but when I started trying to cut out the High Fructose Corn Syrup, I found that it comes in many forms by many names to make it extra confusing! Especially now that people are more on the look out for it, they've changed the name. Here are a couple of helpful sites:

http://www.3fatchicks.com/9-common-sources-of-high-fructose-corn-syrup/

http://www.fda.gov/food/labelingnutrition/consumerinformation/ucm078889.htm

kyle4jem

High Fructose Corn Syrup should be banned. It's a travesty that the FDA in the USA still allows this to be used in processed foods.

Have you ever heard of Paté de fois gras... it's basically duck liver paté where the ducks are force-fed corn so that their livers swell and become very succulent and perfect for making the rich, flavoursome paté that is such a delicacy.

Well that's basically what High Fructose Corn Syrup does to you...

Okay, that's probably somewhat of an over-dramatisation, but it's used to sweeten so many products in the USA rather than just regular sugars. Not sure if it's banned by the EU, but it is certainly not found over here, or at least I can't say I've ever seen any product that uses it.

I know I've said on MFP that no food is bad, well for High Fructose Corn Syrup I'll make an exception!

odusgolp

High Fructose Corn Syrup should be banned. It's a travesty that the FDA in the USA still allows this to be used in processed foods.

Have you ever heard of Paté de fois gras... it's basically duck liver paté where the ducks are force-fed corn so that their livers swell and become very succulent and perfect for making the rich, flavoursome paté that is such a delicacy.

Well that's basically what High Fructose Corn Syrup does to you...

Okay, that's probably somewhat of an over-dramatisation, but it's used to sweeten so many products in the USA rather than just regular sugars. Not sure if it's banned by the EU, but it is certainly not found over here, or at least I can't say I've ever seen any product that uses it.

I know I've said on MFP that no food is bad, well for High Fructose Corn Syrup I'll make an exception!

I love you.

ladybg81

I try to limit it but turns out it is in almost EVERYTHING!

sleepytexan

so obnoxious. watch out, they want to rename it to corn sugar. that and partially hydrogenated oils are the source of Fat America.

I remember reading somewhere about a movement to make people more aware of these ingredients. It involved turning an item upside down and backward on the shelf when you discover that it contains an offending ingredient.

I'm not sure how effective it is, but every once in a while I see something upside down and backwards and I wonder . . . was that intentional?

I do it myself just because it makes me smile. Maybe we are a secret society, saving each other time in the grocery aisles--ha!

blessings.

MissD89

High Fructose Corn Syrup should be banned. It's a travesty that the FDA in the USA still allows this to be used in processed foods.

Have you ever heard of Paté de fois gras... it's basically duck liver paté where the ducks are force-fed corn so that their livers swell and become very succulent and perfect for making the rich, flavoursome paté that is such a delicacy.

Well that's basically what High Fructose Corn Syrup does to you...

Okay, that's probably somewhat of an over-dramatisation, but it's used to sweeten so many products in the USA rather than just regular sugars. Not sure if it's banned by the EU, but it is certainly not found over here, or at least I can't say I've ever seen any product that uses it.

I know I've said on MFP that no food is bad, well for High Fructose Corn Syrup I'll make an exception!

RIGHT! Completely disregard ANY high fructose corn syrup. I try to stay away from it by any means!.. Why the hell wud it need to be in bread??? ummm.. NO, THANK YOU.

sleepytexan

I try to limit it but turns out it is in almost EVERYTHING!

No -- there are alternatives. If you spend a little time checking labels you can usually find a competing brand without it. If not, simply avoid the product completely; make it at home with wholesome ingredients or buy it at a Whole Foods or similar.

blessings.

sarahmaryfearnley

so obnoxious. watch out, they want to rename it to corn sugar. that and partially hydrogenated oils are the source of Fat America.

I remember reading somewhere about a movement to make people more aware of these ingredients. It involved turning an item upside down and backward on the shelf when you discover that it contains an offending ingredient.

I'm not sure how effective it is, but every once in a while I see something upside down and backwards and I wonder . . . was that intentional?

I do it myself just because it makes me smile. Maybe we are a secret society, saving each other time in the grocery aisles--ha!

blessings.

Love this idea but have never heard of it! I would like to join your secret society as long as the initiation ceremony is not too painful.

sarahmaryfearnley

and this post totally reminds me of the SNL sketch on the subject. funny stuff.

chevy88grl

I avoid HFCS like the plague. I've read too much about it to want to consume it any longer. I spend extra time in the grocery store reading labels and making sure it isn't there (under ANY of its names!). Now that I've stopped eating it, if I happen to miss it on a label (and it has happened - I bought a pre-made sandwich for lunch at work one day, skimmed the label and didn't see it...hey, I was in a hurry. I only had 30 mins for lunch... ) and consume it -- I bloat up REALLY bad. My body doesn't like it when I consume it.

There's nothing positive at all about HFCS.

servilia

I recommend this video (well you guys already know it's bad but this is a great scientific explanation of what it does exactly): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM

It's a bit long. Not flashy but great information!!

Acg67

some food for thought...

http://www.alanaragonblog.com/2010/01/29/the-bitter-truth-about-fructose-alarmism/

http://www.alanaragonblog.com/2010/02/19/a-retrospective-of-the-fructose-alarmism-debate/

duqtape

Its not HFCS, it's "corn sugar" and your body can't tell the difference. Sugar is sugar!

Duh!

The TV commercial funded by the Corn Council, or whatever they are called, told me so! How is that not right? The TV told me!

odusgolp

Its not HFCS, it's "corn sugar" and your body can't tell the difference. Sugar is sugar!

Duh!

The TV commercial funded by the Corn Council, or whatever they are called, told me so! How is that not right? The TV told me!

AND, I read it on the internet...

Cbecons

High Fructose Corn Syrup should be banned. It's a travesty that the FDA in the USA still allows this to be used in processed foods.

Have you ever heard of Paté de fois gras... it's basically duck liver paté where the ducks are force-fed corn so that their livers swell and become very succulent and perfect for making the rich, flavoursome paté that is such a delicacy.

Well that's basically what High Fructose Corn Syrup does to you...

Okay, that's probably somewhat of an over-dramatisation, but it's used to sweeten so many products in the USA rather than just regular sugars. Not sure if it's banned by the EU, but it is certainly not found over here, or at least I can't say I've ever seen any product that uses it.

I know I've said on MFP that no food is bad, well for High Fructose Corn Syrup I'll make an exception!

Oh, but you Brits have that horribly wonderful thing called Golden Syrup! I don't think it's an additive unless I am making flapjacks for the kiddos of course!

Grokette

so obnoxious. watch out, they want to rename it to corn sugar. that and partially hydrogenated oils are the source of Fat America.

I remember reading somewhere about a movement to make people more aware of these ingredients. It involved turning an item upside down and backward on the shelf when you discover that it contains an offending ingredient.

I'm not sure how effective it is, but every once in a while I see something upside down and backwards and I wonder . . . was that intentional?

I do it myself just because it makes me smile. Maybe we are a secret society, saving each other time in the grocery aisles--ha!

blessings.

You would be turning almost everything upside down and backwards as most all processed foods have either HFCS or trans fats in them.................

Zeromilediet

Its not HFCS, it's "corn sugar" and your body can't tell the difference. Sugar is sugar!

Duh!

The TV commercial funded by the Corn Council, or whatever they are called, told me so! How is that not right? The TV told me!

Hahaha!

Yeah, and We're from the Government here to help ... :laugh:

UrbanRunner81

I believe everything the government has to say. :laugh:

Anyway, I don't buy anything with it in it. I stopped shopping at mainstream grocery stores because it is almost in every single product you pick up.

kyle4jem

[Oh, but you Brits have that horribly wonderful thing called Golden Syrup! I don't think it's an additive unless I am making flapjacks for the kiddos of course!

we do indeed have Golden Syrup which does contain fructose, but it's not used as an additive to sweeten foods, although it is used in baking such special treats as treacle spronge pudding and yes flapjacks, both of which are so calorie dense that you need to do tripple-workouts for at least a week afterwards to compensate :laugh:

bluebird321

I had to eat clean to get HFCS completely out of my diet -- once that happened I was shocked at how quickly I dropped the first 30 lbs.

wolfchild59

I got two things from this thread - as someone whose dad worked in grocery stores for his entire adult life, and myself worked in a specialty foods grocery store for five years, your secret society of turning products around isn't helping anyone, just annoying the clerks that have to fix them everytime they walk by.

And mmmmm...foie gras...*drool*

sleepytexan

so obnoxious. watch out, they want to rename it to corn sugar. that and partially hydrogenated oils are the source of Fat America.

I remember reading somewhere about a movement to make people more aware of these ingredients. It involved turning an item upside down and backward on the shelf when you discover that it contains an offending ingredient.

I'm not sure how effective it is, but every once in a while I see something upside down and backwards and I wonder . . . was that intentional?

I do it myself just because it makes me smile. Maybe we are a secret society, saving each other time in the grocery aisles--ha!

blessings.

You would be turning almost everything upside down and backwards as most all processed foods have either HFCS or trans fats in them.................

I"ve been off this stuff for over 7 years . . . I hardly go into the aisles in a regular grocery store. I buy very few prepared foods anyway, and if I do, mostly from Whole Foods, Jimbo's or similar.

chevy88grl

I got two things from this thread - as someone whose dad worked in grocery stores for his entire adult life, and myself worked in a specialty foods grocery store for five years, your secret society of turning products around isn't helping anyone, just annoying the clerks that have to fix them everytime they walk by.

And mmmmm...foie gras...*drool*

LOL. Agreed. Turning stuff around isn't proving anything to anyone except the people who are required to fix it. We don't care that you found a certain ingredient in it. We are mumbling about how lazy and uncaring you are. Would you like it if we came to your house and turned everything around, on its side or what not? Probably not. Don't do it in the store because SOMEONE has to fix it.

4theking

HFCS is just the next villian. It doesn't magically make you fat anymore than any other food. So eating fruit or drinking juice makes you fat? The problem lies in the fact that people drink liters of soda a day containing the fructose, not in the fact that food contains it. To get enough HFCS to really cause issues you would have to consume a very large quantity.

Kalrez

Its not HFCS, it's "corn sugar" and your body can't tell the difference. Sugar is sugar!

Duh!

The TV commercial funded by the Corn Council, or whatever they are called, told me so! How is that not right? The TV told me!

Those commercials throw me into a blind rage.

Kalrez

To get enough HFCS to really cause issues you would have to consume a very large quantity.

That's the point and problem. Sure, HFCS is fine occasionally. But unless you are actively trying to buy products without out, then you are consuming HFCS in at least 80% of the processed foods you eat.

And yes, HFCS may be chemically identical to other sugars that we consume. The problem comes from the shape of the molecule. Molecular structure plays a huge role in how things are processed.

I mean both graphite pencil lead and diamonds are made of carbon. They're chemically the same, but the structure makes all the difference.

Acg67

To get enough HFCS to really cause issues you would have to consume a very large quantity.

That's the point and problem. Sure, HFCS is fine occasionally. But unless you are actively trying to buy products without out, then you are consuming HFCS in at least 80% of the processed foods you eat.

And yes, HFCS may be chemically identical to other sugars that we consume. The problem comes from the shape of the molecule. Molecular structure plays a huge role in how things are processed.

I mean both graphite pencil lead and diamonds are made of carbon. They're chemically the same, but the structure makes all the difference.

actually the body processes both HFCS and sucrose identically. in and of itself HFCS is not evil, nor does it make one fat. the only thing that makes you fat is a consistent caloric surplus, no one ingredient or macronutrient is responsible

jchester71

The human body doesn't differentiate between sugar forms when it is metabolized. It has become a bogey man, but it doesn't need to be. The real issue is why is everything being sweetened.

Cbecons

[Oh, but you Brits have that horribly wonderful thing called Golden Syrup! I don't think it's an additive unless I am making flapjacks for the kiddos of course!

we do indeed have Golden Syrup which does contain fructose, but it's not used as an additive to sweeten foods, although it is used in baking such special treats as treacle spronge pudding and yes flapjacks, both of which are so calorie dense that you need to do tripple-workouts for at least a week afterwards to compensate :laugh:

Ohhh Treacle Sponge pudding! YUMMM! Need. willpower.NOW! :-)