Archive for the ‘fructose corn syrup’ tag
Obesity In The United States
Between 1970 and 2005 the obesity rate in the United States roughly doubled, according to data from the National Health a and Nutrition Examination Survey, and the USDA.
On the BMI scale over 30 is defined as obese; over 25 is overweight.
TruthAboutAbs
We’re eating over 200 calories more each day, most of which come from carbs. We are also eating more meat, although most of that is actually leaner than it used to be, so the calorie contribution to the average diet has gone down.
We’re taking in about 100 calories more in sweeteners each day on average, and High Fructose Corn Syrup has about half of that.
We drink less regular whole milk, and more reduced fat, and fat-free milk.
We consume a lot more oil, particularly vegetable oil, than we were back in the 1970′s. Mostly corn, and soybean and canola oils.
The increase in obesity has come about because we eat a lot more wheat; increased sweeteners, and processed oils instead of fat from meat.
Dump HFCS, and other Sugar from your Diet
The Corn Refiners Association (CRA) seemingly takes exception to any suggestion that High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is in any way to blame for the increase in Child diabetes in the United States.
The CRA loves to quote the American Medical Association (AMA) as saying that HFCS doesn’t appear to contribute more to obesity to other caloric sweeteners (such as regular sugar, for example).
However, The AMA also recommends a daily limit of 32 grams of such sweeteners. The average can of soda contains 40 grams of HFCS.
So even if HFCS in itself does no more harm than other sweeteners, we can’t get away from the fact that the average American consumes far more sweeteners of all kinds than is recommended by the AMA – over 500% more. As practically all processed food products contain HFCS, it is a major contributor to obesity, and diabetes in the USA.
The best way forward is to cut out processed foods altogether. Eat fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, pasta, diary, beans and whole grains. Check anything in a carton, box, or packet though to be sure of what you are actually eating.
Cutting out processed foods, and sweeteners, including HFCS, cannot do any harm.
Mercury Rising
Not only is High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) not good for us – despite how the corn refining companies dress it up, it’s still empty calories that we can do without – it’s found that up to 50% of it contains mercury.
Still, there is perhaps some light at the end of the tunnel. Last month 140 nations got together to develop an international treaty to phase out as much mercury use as possible. Not only that, but the U.S. was one of the leaders in pushing for this internationally binding legislation.
On the domestic front congress could help this by phasing out the use of mercury cell technology in domestic chlorine plants.
The U.S FDA should test HFCS for mercury content AND make those findings public.
We can all help, by cutting down on consumption of products containing HFCS.
