What is the U.S.’s deal with High Fructose Corn syrup? There is an interesting post at Not Martha about Coca-Cola and the use of sugar in other countries versus high fructose corn syrup here. I swear it’s a nation-wide conspiracy to make our residents fat and dumb. Seriously, is it cheaper? Is it easier to use in recipes? What? Look at labels when you shop. HFCS is even in chicken broth!
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Oh yeah. HFCS is of the devil. People think I’m joking when I say that -but I’m not. I really think that it’s from the evil one. I mean really - take stuff God made, suck all the good out of it, make it more intense then God designed so that people will crave it more than the healthy pleasures… Sounds like Satan to me!
You know - there’s that verse about receiving and enjoying the foods God created with Thanksgiving - and not saying “Do not taste, do not touch”…but God didn’tcreate HFCS, white sugar, and white flour.
Makes me go Hmmmmm.
Comment by blestwithsons — April 4, 2007 @ 7:35 am
I’ve noticed it in really weird things too! I was shocked to find it in things in my kitchen that I had assumed were okay!! I agree….it’s EVIL!!
Comment by Bethany — April 4, 2007 @ 7:36 am
My college economics professor said that it was due to US subsidies to the sugar industry which make real sugar cost much more in the US compared with other countries. Whenever my friends went to Mexico during college, they would pick up “real” Dr. Pepper with sugar!
Comment by Emily — April 4, 2007 @ 7:52 am
Oops - I meant protectionist import laws, not subsidies.
Comment by Emily — April 4, 2007 @ 7:57 am
Amen, Blest! God didn’t make preservatives or artificial colors and flavors either!
I don’t know about a conspiracy or anything (I wouldn’t doubt it, though) but all I know is that whenever we used to go to Mexico on mission trips in college, one of the highlights was getting “Mexican Coke” (Coca-cola make with sugar…..YUMMY!) And we would still get one once in a while from the local taqueria…that was “before.”
Comment by Brandi — April 4, 2007 @ 8:07 am
No, seriously. HFCS is really bad. The worst thing about it, I think, is how it’s led to supersizing and complete portion distortion. We’re now consuming twice as much in a single “serving” - the norms are just so off.
It has everything to do with agricultural subsidies. EVERYTHING! Basically, the U.S. govt. subsidizes the corn produced in the U.S. Farmers get paid for corn regardless of market demand. So they overproduce, leading to vast surpluses…and literally, entire markets rise to absorb the surpluses. HFCS is one of those. It’s so much cheaper to produce, so it gets added to everything, and food manufacturers “add value” by making products much bigger. So you get more for your $ - which in the case of things like soda and sugar cereal is not actually a good thing.
The corn surplus has also created a bunch of other problems, like e.Coli and antibiotic resistance (the short story there: we stuff corn into our livestock, because it’s cheap. Creates cheap meat, but since the livestock hasn’t evolved to eat corn, it wreaks havoc on their digestive system. We medicate them, leading to antibiotic resistant superbugs…and cows now have acidic stomachs, which means that there are bugs like e.Coli that can withstand acid, and can thereby withstand the acid in OUR stomachs)….oh, yeah, and the livestock corn diet also totally changes the ratio of omega 3s to omega 6s, which scientists now think is at the root of heart disease and other health problems.
I could go on and on and on. And on. But the BEST BOOK EVER, if you really want to understand our messed up food supply, is Michael Pollan’s The Omnivores Dilemna. Seriously, it is one of the best books I have ever read. Anyone who cares at all about what and how and why they eat should read this.
I’ll stop now. Great topic, though.
Comment by ali b. — April 4, 2007 @ 8:58 am
It almost is a conspiracy. The US government subsidizes corn farmers to such an extent that corn syrup is dirt cheap, so it’s in everything!
Comment by Jessica — April 4, 2007 @ 9:36 am
Wow, I had no idea that there were so many others out there that feel as strongly as I do. I wish there was something we could do to change the food market in our country. It is such a pain to check every ingredient list. Even Whole Foods Market isn’t safe.
Comment by Anita — April 4, 2007 @ 11:09 am
It’s what happens when any group, like corn farmers or food manufacturers, develops such political clout. That’s good old fashioned lobbying right there. I think there’s some talk of changing the subsidy system to support smaller farms (which grow real food, promoting real health, as opposed to commodity products) and I’m trying to learn more about it. I’m also thinking that if ethanol truly becomes an alternative fuel, it could change the dynamic - suddenly, there won’t be such a surplus. BusinessWeek just did an article about how soda manufacturers are examining using sugar in case of such changes.
It is funny, though, how one thing - ag subsidies, in this case - can lead to so many unexpected consequences. When I was reading Pollan’s book, I kept shouting “That corn! That danged corn!” This from a former Iowa resident.
Comment by ali b. — April 4, 2007 @ 11:58 am
Now see…I can understand why subsidies and such would lead to using that devil’s elixir in sweet stuff - but why why WHY put it in stuff that isn’t even supposed to be sweet?! Unless it is truly to make us addicted to it in some strange way. Aiieeeee! Don’t drink the KoolAid!! (no really -Don’t.
)
Comment by blestwithsons — April 4, 2007 @ 12:26 pm
Blest, I totally agree with you. Sugar or HFCS, why do essentially non-sweet food items need sweetener?
And Ali B, I grew up on a farm in Iowa too. I think I need to go find that book at the library just so I can be informed.
Comment by Anita — April 4, 2007 @ 2:33 pm