Is High Fructose Corn Syrup
Bad for You?

Have you seen the recent commercials on television promoted by the Corn Refiners Association presenting high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) as natural and safe? So, what do you think? Is high fructose corn syrup dangerous or safe?

In these commercials, they use very clever psychological propaganda portraying health conscious individuals as ill-informed and foolish for suggesting high fructose corn syrup is unhealthy. High fructose corn syrup is natural and safe they say, because it's made from corn. Ethanol for fuel is also made from corn, but I think it's wise to say it's dangerous to drink.

These irresponsible commercials allow junk food eaters to defend their poor eating choices and deter many concerned consumers from investigating HFCS further. The Corn Refiners Association just hit a home run and met their agenda.

But for many who have studied nutrition and natural health, these commercials shocked and disturbed us because of the blatant attempt to mislead consumers.

For myself, after the intitial shock wore off, I realized I shouldn't be surprised as the mainstream media is not about honesty and integrity but about corporate greed.

In one article that I read about the dangers of HFCS, the author likened the HFCS propaganda to the lies told about the harms of smoking chemical laden commercial tobacco. Those who are in the HFCS business are just like the tobacco industry trying to coverup the real harm and death sentences to which they are accomplice.

What is High Fructose Corn Syrup Exactly?

High fructose corn syrup was initially developed around 1927, but it wasn't until about 1970 that the industrial refinement process was used on a grander scale in Japan. By 1975, HFCS was rapidly appearing in soft drinks and processed foods.

The refining chemical process for HFCS makes corn starch into corn syrup which is largely glucose. Then, the resulting product is treated with alpha-amylase to change the glucose into fructose. The end result is a high fructose corn syrup with a concentration of around 55% to 80% fructose, and the remainder is glucose.

HFCS is a highly concentrated sweetener that is devoid of vitamins, minerals, fiber and enzymes. It's not a naturally occurring substance, and would never find its way into the human diet naturally. Natural fructose in fruit is not this manmade fructose of HFCS.

Nature has a delicate balance of nutrients and fiber in fruit, and the fructose is only about 5 to 8% of the wet weight for fruit such as cherries, pears, bananas, grapes and apples.

A highly processed substance like HFCS will actually rob nutrients from the human body. Not to mention, it is hard for the body to utilize such a synthesized substance, thus, making it a toxin. If not utilized and eliminated by the body, it is quickly stored as fat.

In addition to all of that, HFCS is made from genetically modified "franken" corn. GMO's are man altered seeds that are having huge negative ramifications on our environment and human and animal health. If you aren't aware of the GMO controversy, I highly encourage you to learn more. The future of safe food depends on this frankenstein technology being stopped.

So What Are the Real Dangers of Consuming HFCS?

One study conducted with 50,000 American nurses concluded that those who drank just one soda or fruit punch (sweetened with refined white sugar or high fructose corn syrup) a day gained more weight than those who drank less than one soda a month. There was also an 80% increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes with those who drank more of these drinks.

Further studies have documented strong evidence that diets high in refined sugars like HFCS are detrimental to human health. Health problems associated with the consumption of HFCS include: diabetes, obesity, premature aging, hormone imbalance (especially with the hormones insulin and leptin), thyroid depression, high cholesterol, learning disorders, pancreas, liver, bowel and heart problems just to name a few.

My Personal Experience

From personal experience, I've learned the negative health effects of consuming high fructose corn syrup and other highly processed foods. I spent a good fifteen years of my life as an avid, addicted pop drinker. I also spent much of my life not being aware of nutrition and food quality.

Honestly, it wasn't until I started having health issues that I really started learning about my body, my environment and my diet. Because I knew that prescription drugs were not the answer for my health problems, I became proactive and started learning what I could do for myself. My diet was the first and foremost thing within my control.

A few of the issues I experienced from eating a high processed diet which included lots of foods with HFCS were irritable bowel syndrome, hormone imbalance and hypolglycemia. By changing my diet, I significantly improved my health. Today, I do all that I can to avoid HFCS.

Is high fructose corn syrup over running your cupboards?

What's the Solution?

We all know that corporate greed won't stop, and we'll continue to be targeted with their dangerous propaganda. So, what's the solution?

Consumer responsibility is the answer. It's up to us to educate ourselves and to not buy their poisons. We ultimately have the control. They only have power if we give it to them with our dollars.

Say "NO" to purchasing HFCS and other harmful food additives. Initially, it can be a bit challenging because HFCS is in a lot of foods in your mainstream grocery stores. However, more and more grocery stores are offering healthier foods because of consumer demands. Seek out higher quality foods, and ask your grocer to carry them if they don't already. There are a lot of healthy foods made by companies with integrity that don't use HFCS in their ingredients.

So, is high fructose corn syrup bad for you? My answer is "yes". What do you think? Are you willing to risk future health problems because of this cheap processed sweetener?

Treat your body like the sacred temple that it is, and avoid high fructose corn syrup.

References:

"High Fructose Corn Syrup" - Wikipedia
"Consumption of Soft Drinks and High-Fructose Corn Syrup Linked to Obesity and Diabetes" - Mike Adams, NaturalNews.com
"What's Wrong with High Fructose Corn Syrup?" - Eric Armstrong

To learn more about natural health sweeteners,
CLICK HERE.


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