The corn industry is presently spending millions of dollars spreading misinformation campaigns in order to convince the general population/consumers as well as health care professionals about the safety of their product High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), an extremely bad sugar.
Their major claim is that HFCS is biochemically the same as cane sugar and processed by the body the same way. This is a totally false claim.
HFCS is far from a natural product or even a naturally occurring substance…it is an industrial food extracted from corn stalks that has undergone enzymatic processing to increase its fructose (the natural sugar found in fruit) content. This is a secret operation that even investigative journalists are not privy to.
A chemical enzymatic process is used to extract the sugar from the corn stalks that results in a biologically and chemically novel compound called HFCS…commonly known to health enthusiasts as the “evil sweetener.” It is not even approved nor used in most European countries including the UK so why has it been approved for usage here?
That beautiful corn we think of as gently waving in the breezes is turned into a cheap, dangerous sweetener by the food industry for profit in their pockets…of course.
Because HFCS makes foods taste deliciously sweet yet extremely inexpensive to make (corn is a readily available crop in the U.S. because of the government subsidies backing production) it has become the darling of the food industry.
Unfortunately all is not as it seems and HFCS has proven to be a dangerous and definite health risk. Continuing research links HFCS to the exploding epidemic of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
HFCS triggers dangerously high levels of the hormone insulin in the body which in turn results in insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is a condition in which the body cannot control high blood sugar levels (often diabetes is the result).
HFCS also blocks leptin, the appetite control hormone that is responsible for alerting us to when we are full so that we will stop eating.
Health issues associated with HFCS –
Trickery: this villainous sugar tricks the body into believing it is hungry. The damaging results should be obvious. This increase in appetite leads to overeating which of course results becoming overweight so it’s no surprise that there is a huge obesity problem in the world today.
Insulin Resistance: HFCS increases the inability of your body to control blood glucose levels and triglycerides/blood fats.
Unhealthy eating habits: HFCS causes you to gravitate towards more processed unhealthy foods decreasing your intake of nutrient-dense healthy foods…the kind your body craves and needs to function properly.
If you value your health and the health of those around you then you must eliminate this villain from the diet in every way possible. It has no value nor a place in any healthy diet. Unfortunately this is a challenge because thousands of foods of all varieties that line the grocery store shelves contain HFCS.
You’ll find it in ketchup, sports drinks, soda, ice cream, yogurt, breads, cereals and pastries and that’s just for starters. If you read labels close enough, you’ll even find this evil sweetener in proposed “health products” such as protein bars and so called “natural” sodas.
Read your labels –
The moral of the story is you must be diligent when purchasing your weekly groceries. Your health is in your hands. You must read and study labels. They are not willingly going to splash across the front of any product that it contains “HFCS.”
It’s up to you to do your homework, and take time to inspect labels before purchasing and don’t be gullible to words like “natural.” That “favored” word is often used as a “hook” on the front of the package to fool you into automatically believing that it is healthy.
Unfortunately, in most cases, nothing could be further from the truth. Natural does not equate to healthy on labels.
Those of you with pets need to be diligent for their sake too because even pet food has fallen prey to this dangerous sweetener. Be sure and check out the labels on your pet food before purchasing. Those innocent guys don’t need this dangerous, poisonous substance circulating in their system any more than you or I do.
Initially when shopping you will have to read nearly every label but after a while you’ll know which ones are the “good guys” and which ones are the “villains.” Watch for words such as “partially hydrogenated oils as well as the word “fructose” which has recently replaced HFCS on many labels. Stay away from frozen, prepared meals as much as possible too as they are some of the biggest offenders along with bottled or canned meals.
Remember, whole fresh foods that nature provides us require no label. Labels are only added to food when man has interfered with and modified them in some way. Once that is done, they are processed foods.
It’s time to treat your body to nature’s nutrition and leave the chemically modified stuff on the supermarket shelf. After all, with all the preservatives present, it has a long shelf life.
Even desserts and treats can be healthy and offer the essential nutrients your body needs to operate efficiently, providing stellar health and longevity.
Pick up your personal copy of “Blended Bites” where even veggies can play a starring role in many of your favorite desserts or treats.
For more tools and resources from Carolyn Hansen to assist you in attaining your health and fitness goals and achieving the success you desire in life, please visit:
