Avoid High Fructose Corn Syrup

High fructose corn syrup is commonly used in place of sugar in processed foods in the USA. In fact, the average American eats an astounding 41.5 lbs of high fructose corn syrup per year. American subsidies and tariffs have resulted in corn being a much more economical sweetener than sugar--a trend that is not seen in other parts of the world. Now that high fructose corn syrup is being added to an increasing variety of foods (breads, cereals, soft drinks, and condiments); some people are looking for ways to avoid it.

Steps

 * 1) Be clear about your reasons for avoiding high fructose corn syrup. Reasons cited for avoiding it are:
 * 2) *Beverages containing high fructose corn syrup have high levels of reactive carbonyls which are linked with cell and tissue damage that leads to diabetes, although there is no evidence so far that high fructose corn syrup consumption directly leads to diabetes. No significant metabolic differences exist between high fructose corn syrup and regular sugar.
 * 3) *[[Image:Corn_genetics_504.jpg|250px|thumb]]The corn from which high fructose corn syrup is derived may be genetically modified.
 * 4) *There are increasing concerns about the politics surrounding the economics of corn production (subsidies, tariffs, and regulations) as well as the effects of intensive corn agriculture on the environment.
 * 5) *Some people are allergic to products derived from corn.
 * 6) *Although the enzymatic process used to create high fructose corn syrup is a naturally occurring process, it is an additional processing step that sugar refined from beets does not undergo. Some people prefer to avoid additionally processed foods and ingredients as much as possible.
 * 7) *Some people believe that sugar satiates, or creates the feeling of "full", faster than HFCS, which, if true, would likely lead to reduced caloric consumption.
 * 8) *Some argue that sugar simply tastes better than high fructose corn syrup.
 * 9) Avoid fast food. Fast food often contains high fructose corn syrup.
 * 10) Read food labels. This is the easiest and most sure-fire way to know if there is high fructose corn syrup in your food.  High fructose corn syrup can be found even in products which aren't sweet, such as sliced bread and processed meats like sausage and ham.
 * 11) Understand what "natural" or "organic" means on labels with regard to HFCS. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn't regulate the use of the word "natural". Foods and beverages can be labeled as "natural" even though they contain high fructose corn syrup, because fructose is a naturally occurring sugar. The word "organic" is heavily regulated, and basically, only foods labeled as 100% organic can be assumed to be HFCS-free. For a more detailed explanation, see the Tips below.
 * 12) Avoid canned or bottled beverages. Soft drinks, sports drinks, lemonade, iced tea, and almost every sweet drink you can think of contains high fructose corn syrup.
 * 13) * Buy from small bottlers who use sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup. Some smaller brands, such as Jones Soda and Dublin Dr. Pepper, have switched to pure cane sugar.
 * 14) * [[Image:Mexican_drinks_134.jpg|150px|thumb|Mexican soft drinks, HFCS-free]]Buy soft drinks from across the border. If you must have your fix of certain soda brands and you happen to live near Canada or Mexico, look into buying in bulk from those countries, which use sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup.
 * 15) *[[Image:Passovercoke_809.jpg|thumb|Passover Coke has a yellow cap]]Check the Passover section of your supermarket. Some soda companies produce a sugar/sucrose-based version of their products around Passover for Jews who are restricted by custom from eating corn during this time. Coca-Cola produces a version of Coke without corn syrup that can be identified by a yellow cap and is considered by some to taste better than Coke Zero, which is also free of corn syrup but contains artificial sweeteners, not sugar.
 * 16) Lower your sweetener consumption altogether. It's been suggested that the supposed link between high fructose corn syrup and obesity is not due to the high fructose corn syrup itself, but to the increasing consumption of sweeteners in general, especially soft drinks. In fact, where the fructose comes from doesn't seem to matter. The fructose found in fruits could be just as bad as that added to soft drinks. The USDA recommends that a person with a 2000 calorie, balanced diet should consume no more than 32 g (8 tsp) of added sugar per day. Here are some sweet foods and the percentage of the daily recommended amount of sweeteners they provide:
 * 17) *typical cup of fruit yogurt - 70%
 * 18) *cup of regular ice cream - 60%
 * 19) *12-ounce Pepsi - 103%
 * 20) *Hostess Lemon Fruit Pie - 115%
 * 21) *serving of Kellogg's Marshmallow Blasted Froot Loops - 40%
 * 22) *quarter-cup of pancake syrup - 103%
 * 23) *Cinnabon - 123%
 * 24) *large McDonald's Shake - 120%
 * 25) *large Mr. Misty Slush at Dairy Queen - 280%
 * 26) *Burger King's Cini-minis with icing - 95%
 * 27) Buy fresh produce and learn to cook it. The real problem is too much refined and processed food, not any one particular ingredient.

Tips

 * One small chain of 8 stores in Seattle no longer carries products containing high fructose corn syrup.
 * Adding more fruit to your diet can help you avoid high fructose corn syrup, but not fructose itself, as the sugars in fruit are mostly fructose.
 * In case you're wondering, here's why only foods labeled 100% organic can be assumed to be HFCS-free:
 * Products that say "made with organic (specified ingredients or food groups)" can contain non-organic HFCS if HFCS is not the specified ingredient. They cannot be labeled as "organic", and they cannot utilize the USDA seal.
 * Products labeled "organic" can carry the USDA seal and can include organic HFCS. These products must contain 95% organic ingredients by weight or volume excluding water and salt. The remaining 5% must be on the National List of allowed substances. Since HFCS is not on that list, HFCS can only be included if it is organic.
 * Theoretically, a product labeled USDA 100% organic could contain HFCS if the HFCS itself was 100% organic, but no such product is currently available because the processing aids used in making HFCS are not organic. While there is organic HFCS available it is not 100% organic and therefore cannot be included in a product that is labeled 100% organic.

Warnings

 * Replacing all the calories consumed in high fructose corn syrup with sugar may not have any noticeable impact on weight because they both contain the same amounts of calories. There is still controversy as to whether corn fructose is processed differently in the body than cane sugar. Some research suggests that HFCS plays a role in the obesity epidemic in America, while other sources say there is no difference in the consumption effects of HFCS vs. cane sugar
 * In a study at Princeton University where seperate groups of rats were given the same caloric intake of sugar and HFCS. The rats fed HFCS gained much more weight than the ones consuming regular table sugar. In a second study, the rats fed a diet incorporating HFCS "showed characteristic signs of a dangerous condition known in humans as the metabolic syndrome, including abnormal weight gain, significant increases in circulating triglycerides and augmented fat deposition, especially visceral fat around the belly. Male rats in particular ballooned in size: Animals with access to high-fructose corn syrup gained 48 percent more weight than those eating a normal diet." 

Related Tips and Steps

 * How to Stop Sweet Cravings
 * How to Follow a Low Sodium Diet
 * How to Read Nutrition Facts on Food Labels
 * How to Add Fruit to Your Diet