Is High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) worse than Table Sugar?

Hi, Freshetarians.  Before I answer the question of which sweetener is worse, let me first address this one:  WHEN did High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) start making its way into the American Diet?

For instance, take a look at this Girard's Raspberry Salad Dressing.  What is the first ingredient listed?  HFCS!  This means that this salad dressing has more HFCS than it has oil or water!!!  Basically, you're drinking straight High Fructose Corn Syrup out of this bottle!  That's crazy!

You may or may not know that HFCS was created in a laboratory back in 1957.  Then someone else figured out how to produce it in large quantities in or around 1965.  [ Basically, they take corn and extract Corn Starch.  From Corn Starch they get Corn Syrup. Then they add enzymes, caustic soda, and other ingredients and produce a NEW SYRUP that is 42% fructose (HFCS 42).  Then after further laboratory work, then get HFCS that is 90% fructose (HFCS 90, which is used in baked goods).  Finally, they mix these two to get HFCS 55, which is used in soft drinks ].

HFCS is twice as sweet as table sugar. But the main problem is that high fructose tricks you body into thinking that it's still hungry.  So, you keep eating. In fact, with HFCS your body never feels quite full.  And because HFCS messes with your hormone balance, the result is that we are not only eating more calories, but the body begins to store more of those calories as fat.

HFCS began creeping into the American diet in 1975.  Mysteriously enough, tariffs on sugar and sugar quotes were passed by our government in 1977.  This placed limits on how much sugar we could produce as a country, and made imported sugar more expensive for food companies to purchase!  Therefore, HFCS became the cheaper alternative.

Other countries, including MEXICO, still use table sugar in soft drinks. In fact, some of my friends go to buy soda at Mexican stores, because the same product is made with sugar, and not with HFCS!  Take a look at the label:

Today, Americans consume an average of 65 lbs. of HFCS per year. In addition, our annual use of all sweeteners has increased from an average of 120 lbs. per person, to over 140 lbs. per person!

 

Now for the main question:  Is eating HFCS really worse than eating Table Sugar?  You betcha.  HFCS is perhaps the most unhealthy, laboratory-produced chemical, that we have ever created.  Its use is illegal in some countries, but we love to sell it and eat it here in the United States.

HFCS contributes to obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and to fatty liver disease. Plus, the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy found traces of MERCURY in nearly 50 percent of tested samples of commercial high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). A separate study by the same Institute detected mercury in nearly one-third of 55 popular brand- name food and beverage products where HFCS was the first or second ingredient—including products by Quaker, Hershey’s, Kraft and Smucker’s. 

My wife and I went to Alberta, Canada a couple of years ago, and we were surprised to find that the same name-brand food products on the shelf are made in Canada without HFCS!  These foods included jams, candy bars, and soft drinks.

So, now we read ALL nutrition labels and AVOID anything made with HFCS or with "Corn Sugar," as they are starting to call it. We also watch our total sugar intake. 

The bottom line is that I'll take table sugar any day over HFCS or any other artificial sweetener.  There is nothing "natural" or "fresh" about HFCS.  I recommend that you stay away from any sweetener made in a laboratory. That stuff will kill you in the long run. 

I prefer to eat NATURAL FOODS.  I prefer to eat FRESH.  That's why I became a "Freshetarian."

Become a Freshetarian. Feel Better. Live Longer. 

Watch the Sugar in foods, more than the Fat content.

We already know that obesity in increasing at an alarming rate. For example, from 1971 to 2000 obesity in females went up from 16% to 34%.  That's a 112% increase in less than 30 years!

The interesting thing is that during that same time, FAT consumption among females went DOWN from 35% in 1971 to 32% in the year 2000 (fat as a percentage of all calories consumed).

SUGAR consumption, on the other hand, went UP from up from 45% of all calories consumed by females in 1971, to 51% in the year 2000.  In other words, just about everything today that we are eating has more sugar in it!

Take a container of Dannon Yogurt with Fruit at the Bottom. Yes, it's made with LOW FAT milk. But just how much sugar is in ONE small container?  Somewhere between 26-28 grams of both Sucrose (table sugar) and Fructose (sugar from fruit).

 

So, you may want reach for the "All Natural Vanilla" flavor, instead?  That's 25 grams of sugar per container.  Keep in mind that 1 gram of sugar = 4 calories. So, in this "All Natural" yogurt, 100 out of the 150 calories are from SUGAR!

How about KROGER Blended Low Fat Yogurt?  The Peach flavor one that I have in front of me, has a whopping 33 GRAMS of SUGAR in one container!  So, 132 calories out of the 190 total calories are from SUGAR.

INSTEAD, look for yogurt and other foods that have NO MORE THAN 10-12 grams of sugar per serving. 

Salad dressings are another example. Take Briannas Home Style Blush Wine Vinaigrette. The number one ingredient in this salad dressing?  SUGAR. In fact, it has more sugar than water, vinegar, or oil.  The sugar content?  14 grams of SUGAR in two tablespoons.  That's almost 60 calories that you are adding to that salad from just the sugar in the dressing!

I just looked at two other salad dressings in my refrigerator: Chunky Blue Cheese and Creamy Ranch Dressing. Each of these has just ONE GRAM of SUGAR in the same two tablespoons!  So, why does Briannas feel the need to put 14 grams of sugar in their Vinaigrette?  Your guess is as good as mine.

All I'm saying is READ the label and watch the amount of SUGAR you are feeding your family.  This is definitely TOO MUCH sugar:

Yes, Freshetarians actually read nutritional labels. They understand that even though FAT has 9 calories per gram, 51.6% of all calories we consume today are CARBOHYDRATES with very little dietary fiber.  These carbs turn to SUGAR in your system and give you quick bursts of energy, followed by a FALL or a CRASH. And now your body is tired and wants more sugar to keep going.
This is the cycle that leads to obesity and insulin resistance, which in turn leads to diabetes.

The bottom line is this: try to stay away from refined and processed foods, which are high in fat and even higher in sugar. Instead, eat FRESH vegetables and fruits, raw nuts and seeds, and lean meats in small quantities. 

This is a salad that I eat almost daily: Baby spinach mixed with red leaf lettuce, tomatoes, raisins, raw nuts, raw sunflower seeds, queso fresco (fresh cheese), olive oil, rice or apple cider vinegar, and a pinch of salt.


Become a FRESHETARIAN. Feel Better. Live Longer.

Fresh Fruit - No Greater Gift for Your Health

Freshetarians love to eat FRUIT... all varieties of FRUIT in their season. Why?  Because nature has no greater GIFT for your health than FRUIT.

Think about it.  A vegetable plant can provide you with vegetables ready to eat in 60-90 days, but a fruit tree has to work ALL YEAR LONG, drawing nutrients from the earth, and creating that fruit just one time during the year.  That's a lot of work and a lot of nutrients that are extracted from the earth to give you the GIFT of that FRUIT.

I recommend eating FRUIT in the morning on an empty stomach. This will cause digestion to be fast, providing you with natural vitamins and fructose in your bloodstream within minutes. Fruits have fructose, a natural sugar that is much better for you than sucrose (table sugar) or artificial sweeteners. This will give you ENERGY and make you feel LIGHT on your feet and full of LIFE.

I LOVE mango's in the morning. I also love cantaloupe, melon, grapes, peaches, nectarines, strawberries, blackberries, kiwis, oranges, and plums.  My stomach a harder time when I eat apples on an empty stomach. So, I avoid apples in the morning. But see what works for you.

Then a couple of hours later, I am ready to eat some plain yogurt or cottage cheese (with more fruit), followed by a small quantity of raw nuts and seeds (more on this later).

Plenty of water is also good for you all day long, but especially in the morning.


Try fruit and water in the morning for 5-7 days, and see how you feel.  I know you will feel great!  Instead of craving a heavy breakfast that takes hours to digest, you will crave FRUIT in the morning because it gives you instant ENERGY, without resorting to fatty foods or sugar-laden cereals.

Become a FRESHETARIAN.  Feel Better. Live Longer!

From a What-ever-tarian Diet to a Freshetarian Way of Living

I grew up in beef country. It was meat and potatoes at just about every meal. Up until recently, when my wife prepared dinner, I would often ask, "So, where's the beef, honey?"

Then, on Friday night dates, when we were choosing a restaurant , I would respond, "Oh, WHATEVER is fine with me." That included everything from cheese-laden lasagnas, to heavy Alfredo dishes, to fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy.

In other words, I used to be on a "What-ever-tarian" Diet.

But I am happy to announce that I have changed how I eat, how I think about food, and how I feel after every meal. I am now a Freshetarian.

A FRESHETARIAN is someone who:

• Eats mostly fresh, natural foods made by nature.
• Enjoys eating lots of vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds.
• Can't remember how to use a can opener.
• Wouldn't really notice if their microwave was missing.
• Eats fresh, lean meats sparingly, or on special occasions.
• Can't remember the last time they ate anything "fried."
• Runs away from packaged food made in a "factory."
• Actually reads nutritional labels.
• Is or wants to be at a normal, healthy weight (BMI of 18-24.9).
• Exercises regularly in fresh air and in moderation.
• Avoids stimulants, such as alcohol, tobacco, coffee, tea, and especially energy drinks!
• Is not extreme in any way, but believes in "moderation in all things."

Now I organize my diet into three distinct camps. I say "camps" because I'm not stuck in one place or another. I can pick up and move (figuratively speaking), just like I would move physically from one place of residence to another.

This is where I LIVE:

• Raw fruits and leafy vegetables
• Raw nuts and seeds,
• Slightly cooked, non-starchy vegetables
• Dried or preserved fruits
• Whole grains and legumes
• Olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, and honey.

This is where I VISIT:

• Fresh, lean white meats
• Plain yogurt
• Skim milk
• Fresh cheese (not aged)
• Farm-raised eggs

These are the places I AVOID VISITING:

• Beef, pork, lamb
• Anything fried
• Refined foods and pasta
• Frozen or packaged meats
• Foods made in a factory (chips, etc).
• Any and all fast foods.

The bottom line is this: I'm done being a What-ever-tarian. I'm also fed up with the VEGAN movement and with any and all "extreme diets" being promoted out there.

I prefer "natural." I prefer "fresh." I prefer "moderation" in all things.  Here is what one of my typical dishes looks like:

This FRESHETARIAN SALAD includes: red leaf lettuce, baby spinach, garden tomatoes, black olives, raw nuts and seeds, queso fresco (fresh cheese), raisins, 1 tbsp of olive oil, 1 tspn of apple cider vinegar, and a pinch of sea salt.

So, tell me about your experience with the three food camps mentioned above. Also, I could use your help in starting this Freshetarian Movement. 

Want to be part of something NEW? Post your comments here or email me at freshetarian24.9@gmail.com.

Coming soon:  FRESHETARIAN.org.  Feel Better.  Live Longer.