High Fructose Corn Syrup - Two reasons to avoid this Corn Sugar

The move is on to further muddy the waters pertaining to High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS). The goal is to convince or confuse consumers into thinking that HFCS is like sugar by changing its name to Corn Sugar. While there are issues that surround processed sugar, HFCS or Corn Sugar presents a wider problem. The primary concern is how HFCS is metabolized by the body and the hidden, and not-so-hidden, genetic modifications it undergoes.

HFCS is comprised of approximately 55% fructose. This fructose is unbound meaning it is not attached to any other molecule. In nature fructose would be bound most likely to glucose. Unbound fructose is immediately taken up by the liver for metabolizing when HFCS is consumed. This initiates a metabolic nightmare. The liver is forced to work hard at metabolizing the instantly present fructose. Often times the liver has to ignore or inefficiently handle other metabolic duties such as the breaking down of fatty acids. In addition, the liver may be unable to metabolize all of the fructose. All of this leads to a fatty liver and increased fat storage in the body.

Read More

Big Food’s Message to the EPA: Don’t Mess With Corn

If anyone ever needed further evidence that corn is the most important and widely used element in the food supply, here it is: On Tuesday, no fewer than nine food industry groups banded together (along with oil companies) to sue the EPA over its decision last month to boost the allowable amount of corn-based ethanol in vehicle fuel from 10% to 20%.

Corn is a sacred crop for food companies, because without it there would be a whole lot less processed food and meat would probably get a whole lot more expensive. Corn-based ingredients like modified corn starch, maltodextrin, propylene glycol, glycerin, citric acid, xantham gum and, of course, high fructose corn syrup are the building blocks of products ranging from breakfast cereal and salad dressing to chicken nuggets and ice cream.

Read More

High-fructose corn syrup in soda has much more fructose than advertised, study finds

But some of the stuff they put in soda isn't HFCS, it's RHFCS — really high-fructose corn syrup.

High-fructose corn syrup is often singled out as Food Enemy No. 1 because it has become ubiquitous in processed foods during about the past 30 years — a period that coincides with a steep rise in obesity. One of the primary sources of high-fructose corn syrup in the American diet is soda. In fact, many public health advocates refer to soda as "liquid candy."

High-fructose corn syrup in soda has much more fructose than advertised, study finds
That nickname is more apt than advocates realized, according to a study published online in October by the journal Obesity.

Read More

PARTNER SERIES—THE TRUE COSTS OF SWITCHING FROM HFCS TO SUGAR

Enough Said: "Content developed and sponsored by: Corn Naturally". The bastards are running scared when they are putting together dog and pony shows like this.

How much can switching sweetening ingredients (such as a switch from high fructose corn syrup to granulated or liquid sugar) impact costs for food and beverage manufacturers? And does switching sweeteners pay off at retail? The increased ingredient costs are only the beginning. This one-hour Webinar will help marketers and product formulators consider implications before making decisions that could impact the bottom line.

The Webinar will examine formulary, labor and sanitation expenses, as well as capital expenditures and the possible costs associated with the environmental implications of switching sweeteners. It will also explore sales data from Nielsen, looking specifically at brands that have reformulated from HFCS to sugar and comparing pre- and post-reformulation data. A live question-and-answer session will follow.

Read More

Study: Hey, Hipsters, Mexican Coke Might Be a Myth

The failure to find sucrose in Mexican Coca-Cola could be [due] to two reasons: the Coke is old and the sucrose "inverted" (split into glucose and fructose), or the company used HFCS instead of sucrose.

A study released on Oct. 27 in the journal Obesity looked at the chemical structure of sweeteners in Coca-Cola, Pepsi and other sodas. There were a lot of surprising findings, but for now, here's one result that cut close to my Brooklyn-foodie fad-loving bones: Mexican Coke, which people thought to be superior to American Coke because it uses real cane sugar in place of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), could be a myth.

Read More

Corn processors regain 'whip hand' in price talks

The power in the annual round of talks to set prices of corn sweeteners has returned to processors such as Archer Daniels Midland and Tate & Lyle, leaving buyers on track for price rises of up to 25%.

The proportion of plant capacity in use among makers of high fructose corn syrup looks set to tick up to 85%, thanks to resilient US sales of the sweetener and a doubling in exports to Mexico, Credit Suisse said.

This extra usage means that "the whip hand in annual negotiations swings towards the sellers", the bank said, adding that the outcome of the talks "will be fine" for corn processors.

Read More

Mommy Bloggers vs. High Fructose Corn Syrup: The Sticky Truth

I'm not one to press people on issues that I believe in and I don't really consider myself a controversial writer. And while I am opinionated, I don't throw it down your throat. However, when something someone does is just wrong and it affects my family and friends – that's when I feel I have to get involved.

Recently, I had a guest post on MommyBKnowsBest about the dangers of high fructose corn syrup and the awful things that it can do (and does) to our bodies. Last month at the Type-A-Mom blogger's conference the Corn Refiners Association launched their new name, "Corn Sugar"...along with some blogger gifts, er, bribes.

Read More

Coca Cola: We Don't Need To Make A Cane Sugar Version Because You Already Have Mexican Coke

A few weeks back, we asked readers if they would buy a cane sugar version of Coca Cola and an overwhelming 89% of you said "yes." So Consumerist asked Coke if the company had any plans to introduce non-HFCS version -- a la Pepsi Throwback -- on a national scale. The answer -- no, because we already have Mexican Coke.

"We already provide a Coca-Cola with sugar in the U.S. - is Coca-Cola from Mexico and it's available year round," Greg Galvez, vice president and general manager of Importation and Commercialization, Coca-Cola North America, told Consumerist.

Galvez appears to contradict himself on the topic of cane sugar vs. High Fructose Corn Syrup.

Read More

Mom Bloggers Paid to Promote High Fructose Corn Syrup: Why Wasn't I Invited?

The corn industry has solicited mothers to help support the idea that high fructose corn syrup is a healthy part of the American diet.

Earlier this month, the Corn Refiners Association, an industry trade group, invited some mom bloggers to listen in on a conference call about high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).

The call, which was organized in conjunction with a web site called Mom Central, has stirred up some controversy in the mommy blogging world, with some of the participants writing about it in return for $50 gift cards.

Other bloggers turned down the invitation, citing ideological opposition to accepting money from the Corn Refiners Association in return for advertising all the wonderful aspects of consuming HFCS.

Read More

PepsiCo, Walmart to give out Sierra Mist Natural

PepsiCo Inc. is giving away at least 10 million free cans of Sierra Mist Natural this weekend at Wal-Mart stores to introduce its new version of the lemon-lime soda, which now includes sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup.

The company announced last month it was remaking the drink by also removing preservatives. It added "Natural" to the name to cater to shoppers' desire to avoid artificial ingredients and launched a major marketing campaign, spending what it normally spends in a year to market the billion-dollar brand in the last quarter.

On Saturday, the company will give out the millions of cans at 2,800 Walmart supercenters, spending at least $3 million on the giveaway alone.

PepsiCo also removed high fructose corn syrup from Gatorade this year.

Read More