High Fructose Corn Syrup....What's It All About?

I'm not one of those mothers who always check the labels on the food stuff I buy.
In our home, canned food, sodas, candy et al are not stocked or stashed away in the pantry. Thankfully Bunny girl detests anything fizzy and candy is just not her thing, so it just makes my task easier. We try our best to eat naturally and that helps!

A while ago I was invited to listen in on a webinar conducted by the Corn Refiners Association detailing out the
'Role of Sugars in our Food...why they're added and how we need to moderate the same'.
The main 'buzz' centered around the heated 'High Fructose Syrup' controversy and why there's a lot of worry for nothing (According to the experts present).

Here's some information I jotted down that may interest some of you. To make easy reading I've arranged the information in a 'Question-Answer' format.


What is High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)?

It's actually "a kind of corn sugar that is handled by your body, the same as sugar or honey". It is half fructose and half glucose.

Why do manufacturers use HFCS instead of sugar?

It's a liquid alternative to sugar and easy to handle in a food plant. It is also cheaper than sugar.


I've heard HFCS in foods is not healthy and that I should replace it with foods with sugar instead. Is this true?

Replacing HCFS with sugar/sucrose will not reduce obesity or improve anybody's health. They're actually both the same.
You will be surprised to know that the amount of HCFS in most foods is very little.
Eg: In flavored yogurt, the amount in one serving is only 5 grams. It's basically added to stabilize the product.
To reach an unhealthy level of added sugars in your body you would need to eat 85 bowls of bran cereal or 30 bowls of salad dressing!


How can I reduce the consumption of HFCS in foods consumed by my family?

* Limit processed foods.
* Avoid foods that contain added sugar.
* Choose fresh fruit rather than fruit juice or fruit-flavored drinks. Even 100 percent fruit juice has a high concentration of sugar.
* Choose fruit canned in its own juices instead of heavy syrup.
* Drink less soda.
* Don’t allow sweetened beverages to replace milk, especially for children.

The purpose of the Webinar was to squash the misconception that HFCS is unsafe and an absolute health hazard. There was a lot of information provided and for anyone who would like to read more, please visit the links below this post.

I have to stress that not one of the Experts said you can consume foods with HFCS without a care in the world.
The stress from start to finish was on one word....MODERATION...and that's something I thought made sense considering HFCS is all over the grocery store!

Many are debating about whether HFCS is the best thing in foods or not. In the end it all boils down to this.....if you're taking the required steps as a family to eat natural foods and have everything, including your fruits and veggies, in moderation. If so, then your family is on the right track.

My Two Cents

I had someone ask me what my family's stand on HFCS is. I have to confess that Hubby and I don't buy that anything that is not natural and that is added to enhance food flavoring is safe. We would still not buy anything with HFCS knowingly, even if it is a fact that it's fine in moderation. We do our best to only buy food at its natural best....why settle for anything less?!



Additional Reading Resources

• Cornsugar.com
• Sweetsurprise.com
• Food Groups
  

Insights during the Webinar was provide by Experts from :

• The American Medical Association
  
• American Dietetic Association
  

** EBMR Disclaimer: The information in this post has been put together based on the Global Influence hosted Webinar conducted by the Corn Refiners Association and I will receive a GC for the same. The opinions of my family and/or self have not been influenced by the sponsor in any way.**

Labels: Corn Refiners Association, Global Influence, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Opinions, Resources, Sugars

posted by Marina@EBMR @ 10:12 PM