Have you seen the latest commercial actually DEFENDING the consumption of High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)? The commercial starts with a friend offering another friend a popsicle or a glass of red fruit punch. The friend hesitates, and with a horrified look on their face sputters something about how they just can’t because of the HFCS. When the other person presses further about it, the friend admits they can’t come up with a convincing rebuttal and relents to the sugary snack. Let me tell you something:
FRIENDS DON’T LET FRIENDS CONSUME HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP!
How this can be responsible advertising is beyond me but it is no surprise that it is sponsored by the Corn Refiners Association. Do you think they are feeling the squeeze on the bad press around HFCS lately??
In conjunction with Craig Ballantyne’s Turbulence Training Transformation Contest (http://transformationcontest.com/twitter/) I have decided to limit my consumption of HFCS. Not an easy task. HFCS is everywhere. It’s in bread, yogurt, cereal, soup, canned fruit with syrup, granola, jams, ketchup, soda drinks, sports drinks and of course in cakes and cookies. I decided to do some research regarding HFCS. And I took a good look at the Corn Refiner’s Association website that is promoting the consumption of HFCS. Here are my findings:
HFCS is very easy and very cheap to produce, which means lower costs and higher profits for food producers. HFCS is produced by processing corn starch to yield glucose, and then processing the glucose to produce a high percentage of fructose, the sugar found in fruit. So it sounds like HFCS should be as good for you as fruit, right? Wrong! The fructose found in fruit has natural fiber that feeds the beneficial bacteria in your digestive tract. HFCS does not have the natural fiber that helps to slow down digestion and feed the beneficial bacteria. With HFCS only the harmful bacteria gets fed and gastric distress is the inevitable result in the form of indigestion, acid reflux, and irritable bowel syndrome. “Here, my friend! Have a glass of irritable bowel syndrome! The bathroom is down the hall on the right!”
Since the chemical composition is different, the body processes the fructose in HFCS differently than it does regular cane or beet sugar. The hormones that regulate the body’s metabolism are altered. Leptin and insulin are two hormones that the body produces to signal the brain to decrease appetite and control body weight. Unfortunately, while HFCS forces more fat into the bloodstream via the liver, it does not stimulate the pancreas to produce insulin or the body’s fat cells to produce leptin. At the same time, HFCS, like trans fats, does not suppress the production of ghrelin, a hormone that increases hunger and appetite. The end result is that the body is tricked into still feeling hungry even while it continues to store more fat.
And does anyone know what happens when your body has a diminished production of insulin? It’s called diabetes.
So what is a person to do? Just to be clear, I’m not only picking on HFCS. Sugar is also one of the culprits for the country’s rise of obesity as well as other health problems. Therefore, I believe that all sugar should be limited in your diet. You are probably thinking that sugar is more prevalent in our diet than even HFCS. Sound impossible to do? The key is balance. Small changes and substitutions can make a big difference. Eating one cookie probably won’t cause adverse effects. Eating a whole box will. Instead of reaching for a large piece of apple pie, eat a large apple instead. Much more satisfying and it will curb your hunger longer. And at your next cookout, instead of offering your friends soft drinks, show them the love by stocking a cooler full of refreshing bottles of water. Schedule activities like volleyball games, frisbee or play tag with the kids. You will be helping everyone live a more healthy and active life, improving the quantity as well as the quality of their time here on earth.
After all, what are friends for?
