High fructose corn syrup, it's in everything!

[pixie9]

Candi-
You should read The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan. You'll find out that we(Americans)are mostly made of corn because of all the excess corn we eat. It's literally in everything, including meat (if you eat that). Cattle are raised on corn now (which is actually an inappropriate diet for them since they naturally eat grass).

Carolyn

 

[trunyon]

Nancy, Try the Ezekiel Brand breads. I had to get used to the texture because it doesn't have the same as "regular" breads. It is really good though, just different.:7

 

[diane57]

>Christine and everyone -
>
>What brands did you find that didn't have HFCS in it? Thanks
>for the help!
>
>Nancy

Among the big brands, Uncle Milton's whole grain breads do not contain HFCS. I am another who was shocked when I read bread labels, almost all the "whole wheat" breads that purport to be healthy have HFCS in their top ingredients. ARGHHH!!!

 

[kathryn]

>What is the point of putting this in
>so many products?

It's cheap. It's sweeter than sugar and may make tastes more appealing to those who are used to it.

 

[LauraMax]

It's not just HFCS, it's sugar too. Being single I buy a lot of prepared foods at the grocery store & it's so hard to find stuff without sugar--they put sugar in everything! Why do they have to put sugar in mayonnaise? On a sauce over a chicken?

And I've found Whole Foods to be the worst--they're supposed to be "healthy" yet they can't refrain from making every darned thing with sugar. And half the time it doesn't even change the taste or make it taste better. What's up with that?

 

[Nicole.]

Are folks out there still looking for good, wholesome bread? If so, I'd like to echo a previous post. Try the Ezekiel brand. I buy it at Trader Joe's. They make several different varieties, and right now I have the Organic Flourless Sprouted 100% Whole Grain Bread. Here are the ingredients:

Organic Sprouted Wheat
Organic Sprouted Barley
Organic Sprouted Millet
Organic Malted Barley
Organic Sprouted Lentils
Organic Sprouted Soybeans
Organic Sprouted Spelt
Filtered water, Fresh Yeast, Sea Salt

Nothing bad in there! Often I have a piece toasted and topped off with a little almond butter for breakfast. Yum!

If you don't have a Trader Joe's nearby, check out the storefinder on their website: www.foodforlife.com

 

[Beavs]

the communists are exploiting the free market (they actually really like $$ too) to bring down the American devil with the evil syrup they infuse in every food item.

 

[pink_fortitude]

"Try the Ezekiel Brand breads. I had to get used to
the texture because it doesn't have the same as "regular"
breads. It is really good though, just different.:7 "

I second that! (or third it, I haven't read that far down) I get regular, sesame and raisin bread. It is all organic, flourless and has only grains/barley/etc. in it. No crap. It is a little hardy if you are used to soft bread, but it is delicious toasted as a veggie sandwich or breakfast toast. :9

 

[allwildgirl]

After reading this thread yesterday, I was checking labels like crazy while grocery shopping last night, and was pleasantly surprised to discover that apparently Canadians don't use nearly as much HFCS as Americans do - not even in Coke.

 

[pink_fortitude]

"Cattle are
raised on corn now (which is actually an inappropriate diet
for them since they naturally eat grass)"

which is another reason that so many people are getting and dying of heart disease, and why I don't eat meat... but that is an entirely different topic altogether! :+

I do have to say that I really feel for farmers, at least the ones around here. They don't make much money and they are doing the best they can with what little they have, and try to make or save money wherever they can. Unfortunately, that means that everyone who chooses their product ends up suffering.

Missy

 

[trunyon]

I believe I read somebody else that puts peanut butter on the Ezekiel. Thats good. Toast it and put peanut butter on it. Good for something quick!!

 

[candi]

Well, I checked and found the opposite:

This stuff is in my salad dressing and croutons which I eat almost every day. I did some reading on it and the thing that I don't like is that apparently it inhibits insulin production thereby possibly being a cause to the rise of obesity and Type-2 diabetes.

Interesting to note that corn syrup itself is said to be okay but the high fructose corn syrup is the culprit. The reason companies use it in lieu of sugar. It's cheaper of course!

Thanks for the awarness on HFCS. Typically, I don't get all worked up about stuff like this but instincts tell me to be worried about this one. I am going to make the appropriate changes in my diet.

 

[lesliew]

I'm going to run to my local Trader Joe's today and pick up some bread. I think I may also throw out the bread I already bought the other day that has HFCS. I hate to waste food, but I don't want to feed it to my kids either.

 

[buffettgirl]

Thank you Carolyn. I read this a while ago and couldn't for the life of me remember the name to share here. My family got tired of hearing me rant and rave about corn. The book sure did open my eyes to a lot. I was especially shocked with much of what the author wrote about the organic food industry.

 

[andtckrtoo]

Corn syrup is just that - regular corn syrup and is natural. The problem with HFCS is that it is genetically modified to be stable at higher temperatures for a longer period of time. Kind of like Trans Fat - which is also bad for us.

I really will be much more careful with this crap after reading what I have. I won't be buying anything with it. I'm hoping that if enough people get the message and do not buy products with it, then changes will be made.

 

[trunyon]

Ok, help me with this. I'm a label reader also, but I heard of Activia and thought I'd give it a try (digestion troubles). Didn't even look at the label until just a second ago. It has listed, fructose syrup? Does anybody know the difference between this and HFCS? or did they label it this way to make it look better?

 

[candi]

Tina,

I don't know the answer to your question but I know in my reading on HFCS, it causes digestion troubles.

Christine,

Thanks for the explanation on the corn syrup!

 

[trunyon]

Thanks! Isn't it strange then - to be selling a product that is suppose to help because it has the live active cultures and also put sugar and this fructose syrup? I think I need to find a good digestive enzyme.......

Thanks-a-bunch:7

 

[Gayle]

I don't believe fructose is the same thing. I always thought it was fruit sugar, and derived from fruits.

 

[allwildgirl]

I don't think fructose syrup is the same thing.