It's Poison, I Tell You
I’m avoiding high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) like it’s the fictional devil. Let me tell you, it ain’t easy.
What got me started on this crusade? Michael Pollan. I read The Omnivore’s Dilemma and In Defense of Food and he showed how the increase in HFCS in the American diet can be tied to the increase in obesity in Americans. If you want to study the documentation, check out the multiple references in his books.
It wasn’t just Pollan, though. At the time I was reading Omnivore’s Dilemma, I came across a study where rats who were given HFCS gained more weight than the rats given regular corn syrup. That study has been refuted and defended with great ferocity. There’s a lot of money involved thanks to the subsidies provided to corn growers by the US government so it’s hard to weed through PR propaganda and true scientific results.
I also read about a study that says it can cause scarring in the liver. I’m already doing enough damage to my liver as it is. Again, I’m sure there’s a another study out there refuting that one. It’s kind of like trial experts: pay enough and you can find one to agree with you. Or, perhaps, I’m just cynical.
One of my friends suggested that it’s okay in moderation. However, it’s hard to ingest it in moderation when it’s in so many foods and beverages. Ultimately, I decided to take the safe rather than sorry route. So, I went through a purge of my fridge and cupboards.
Here’s what I threw away in my house because it contained HFCS: bread, Raisin Bran, sweet pickles, pickle relish, ketchup, salad dressing, steak sauce, barbecue sauce (#1 ingredient in the Honey BBQ flavor!), jelly and crackers. That’s a lot of stuff considering how little I cook and eat at home.
The next step was to start reading labels whenever they’re available. Shopping takes a lot longer and I’m forced to go to a Sunflower or Whole Foods type store for some items. At the same time, I’m trying to eat organic chicken and grass fed beef so those are better venues for those foods anyway.
I’m driving my friends crazy because I keep referring to HFCS as poison and refuse to eat some things altogether for fear they contain it. I admit I’m a zealot but I can’t help myself. It’s driving me crazy that it’s so prevalent in our food supply and so few seem to care. The power of money prevails, I guess.
What got me started on this crusade? Michael Pollan. I read The Omnivore’s Dilemma and In Defense of Food and he showed how the increase in HFCS in the American diet can be tied to the increase in obesity in Americans. If you want to study the documentation, check out the multiple references in his books.
It wasn’t just Pollan, though. At the time I was reading Omnivore’s Dilemma, I came across a study where rats who were given HFCS gained more weight than the rats given regular corn syrup. That study has been refuted and defended with great ferocity. There’s a lot of money involved thanks to the subsidies provided to corn growers by the US government so it’s hard to weed through PR propaganda and true scientific results.
I also read about a study that says it can cause scarring in the liver. I’m already doing enough damage to my liver as it is. Again, I’m sure there’s a another study out there refuting that one. It’s kind of like trial experts: pay enough and you can find one to agree with you. Or, perhaps, I’m just cynical.
One of my friends suggested that it’s okay in moderation. However, it’s hard to ingest it in moderation when it’s in so many foods and beverages. Ultimately, I decided to take the safe rather than sorry route. So, I went through a purge of my fridge and cupboards.
Here’s what I threw away in my house because it contained HFCS: bread, Raisin Bran, sweet pickles, pickle relish, ketchup, salad dressing, steak sauce, barbecue sauce (#1 ingredient in the Honey BBQ flavor!), jelly and crackers. That’s a lot of stuff considering how little I cook and eat at home.
The next step was to start reading labels whenever they’re available. Shopping takes a lot longer and I’m forced to go to a Sunflower or Whole Foods type store for some items. At the same time, I’m trying to eat organic chicken and grass fed beef so those are better venues for those foods anyway.
I’m driving my friends crazy because I keep referring to HFCS as poison and refuse to eat some things altogether for fear they contain it. I admit I’m a zealot but I can’t help myself. It’s driving me crazy that it’s so prevalent in our food supply and so few seem to care. The power of money prevails, I guess.
