Train Right News
What's Up With the High Fructose Corn Syrup Commercials?
By Alicia Kendig, RD, CSSD
Looks like the Corn Refiners Association took a cue from Big Oil and launched a series of commercials in defense of their biggest cash cow. Over the past few days, I’ve been inundated with calls and emails asking simply, “What’s up with the high fructose corn syrup commercials? Are they really true?” Well, they’re not lying, but they’re not telling the whole truth either.
The commercials, funded by the Corn Refiners Association, make the claims that high fructose corn syrup is, “Made from corn, doesn’t have artificial ingredients, has the same calories as sugar and just like sugar, it’s fine in moderation.” Based on these statements, yes, the commercials are accurate. HFCS is a sweetener made from corn and has a nearly identical chemical composition as granulated sugar. According to the Corn Refiners Association, adding HFCS to products “adds sweetness equivalent to normal sugar, enhances fruit and spice flavors, gives chewy breakfast bars their soft texture and helps to preserve freshness.” If you’re into pre-packaged, highly-processed foods, I guess those steps could be necessary to make the items palatable.
The key statement here is, “in moderation.” Innumerable beverages, condiments, crackers, cookies, breads, soups, ice creams, and breakfast cereals have hidden sugars in the form of high fructose corn syrup. Consuming HFCS in moderation is difficult because it’s so pervasive in packaged foods, and the Corn Refiners Association provides no definition of “moderation”. The only way to monitor your intake or avoid it is to read food labels vigilantly and/or consume fewer packaged foods.
The part of the Corn Refiners Association’s information I have trouble with is their assertion that HFCS is identical to table sugar. Neither of these sweeteners is a completely natural form of sugar. Both are isolated forms of naturally-found sugars that have been processed and have been stripped of key nutrients. They are both absorbed into the body faster than raw sugar and tend to be less satisfying or filling. No, consumption of HFCS does not lead directly to the development of diabetes and obesity. But foods containing HFCS tend to have more calories, lower nutritional value, and lower amounts of fiber than foods made with granulated sugar, natural sugars, or no added sugar at all. The prevalence of HFCS and other processed sugars in packaged foods leads people – at least partly - to consume more calories than they realize. This is because HFCS adds calories without triggering normal satiety – or fullness – cues. Couple this with the decrease in the population’s overall energy expenditure, and voila…rampant weight gain.
Interestingly, economic downturns have a negative impact on the nutritional quality of many people’s food choices. Earlier in human history, impoverished populations relied more on produce and grains because they were inexpensive, and meat and packaged foods were beyond their means. These days, processed foods are cheaper than fresh foods – partly because HFCS is so inexpensive compared to natural sugars. For families struggling in the current economy, it’s an unfortunate fact that you can buy more calories for your buck by hitting up the “Dollar Menu” at a fast-food joint and stocking up on cheap frozen and canned meals.
Despite the thoughtful assurances of the Corn Refiners Association, my recommendations around HFCS still stand: minimize your consumption of high-fructose corn syrup, as it increases the caloric density of foods without adding to their nutritional value, and because minimizing HFCS means you’ll also be minimizing your consumption of processed foods. Consume natural forms of sugar, packaged in nutrient-dense foods that not only give you a sensible serving of calories, but also fill you up and gives you a dose of health-boosting vitamins and minerals.
http://www.trainright.com/articles.asp?uid=3935&p=3933
What's Up With the High Fructose Corn Syrup Commercials?
By Alicia Kendig, RD, CSSD
Looks like the Corn Refiners Association took a cue from Big Oil and launched a series of commercials in defense of their biggest cash cow. Over the past few days, I’ve been inundated with calls and emails asking simply, “What’s up with the high fructose corn syrup commercials? Are they really true?” Well, they’re not lying, but they’re not telling the whole truth either.
The commercials, funded by the Corn Refiners Association, make the claims that high fructose corn syrup is, “Made from corn, doesn’t have artificial ingredients, has the same calories as sugar and just like sugar, it’s fine in moderation.” Based on these statements, yes, the commercials are accurate. HFCS is a sweetener made from corn and has a nearly identical chemical composition as granulated sugar. According to the Corn Refiners Association, adding HFCS to products “adds sweetness equivalent to normal sugar, enhances fruit and spice flavors, gives chewy breakfast bars their soft texture and helps to preserve freshness.” If you’re into pre-packaged, highly-processed foods, I guess those steps could be necessary to make the items palatable.
The key statement here is, “in moderation.” Innumerable beverages, condiments, crackers, cookies, breads, soups, ice creams, and breakfast cereals have hidden sugars in the form of high fructose corn syrup. Consuming HFCS in moderation is difficult because it’s so pervasive in packaged foods, and the Corn Refiners Association provides no definition of “moderation”. The only way to monitor your intake or avoid it is to read food labels vigilantly and/or consume fewer packaged foods.
The part of the Corn Refiners Association’s information I have trouble with is their assertion that HFCS is identical to table sugar. Neither of these sweeteners is a completely natural form of sugar. Both are isolated forms of naturally-found sugars that have been processed and have been stripped of key nutrients. They are both absorbed into the body faster than raw sugar and tend to be less satisfying or filling. No, consumption of HFCS does not lead directly to the development of diabetes and obesity. But foods containing HFCS tend to have more calories, lower nutritional value, and lower amounts of fiber than foods made with granulated sugar, natural sugars, or no added sugar at all. The prevalence of HFCS and other processed sugars in packaged foods leads people – at least partly - to consume more calories than they realize. This is because HFCS adds calories without triggering normal satiety – or fullness – cues. Couple this with the decrease in the population’s overall energy expenditure, and voila…rampant weight gain.
Interestingly, economic downturns have a negative impact on the nutritional quality of many people’s food choices. Earlier in human history, impoverished populations relied more on produce and grains because they were inexpensive, and meat and packaged foods were beyond their means. These days, processed foods are cheaper than fresh foods – partly because HFCS is so inexpensive compared to natural sugars. For families struggling in the current economy, it’s an unfortunate fact that you can buy more calories for your buck by hitting up the “Dollar Menu” at a fast-food joint and stocking up on cheap frozen and canned meals.
Despite the thoughtful assurances of the Corn Refiners Association, my recommendations around HFCS still stand: minimize your consumption of high-fructose corn syrup, as it increases the caloric density of foods without adding to their nutritional value, and because minimizing HFCS means you’ll also be minimizing your consumption of processed foods. Consume natural forms of sugar, packaged in nutrient-dense foods that not only give you a sensible serving of calories, but also fill you up and gives you a dose of health-boosting vitamins and minerals.
http://www.trainright.com/articles.asp?uid=3935&p=3933