High-Fructose Corn Syrup -- Another Poison in Common Foods

Originally posted by anhinga

Whole Foods and Trader Joe's are seemingly opening in many areas, I don't know about middle America or overseas, but they seem to be in even minor cities here on the U.S. east coast.

We have both whole foods and trader joes in Columbus OH. Both are really good stores and I shop at each one. Both sites have pretty good websites as well...

www.wholefoodsmarket.com...

www.traderjoes.com...

Originally posted by MinHawk
My boyfriend and I, for several months, have been trying to eliminate both HFCS and MSG from our diets. Now, I can't say that we've been so successful we've totally eliminated, because, what I find truly scary here is that it seems almost impossible - but we only rarely drink sodas (like, one soda per month, if that), and we don't eat things like potato chips.

Yeah, it's really messed up because MSG can actually be labeled in many different ways, such as "seasoning" and "natural flavoring: So, even when you are actively trying to avoid it, you may still be eating it. That is wrong. Whether or not you believe it is harmful to you, it should be clearly labeled, not hidden. People should have the right to know exactly what they are eating.

Here is a list of many different ways MSG may be labeled... www.truthinlabeling.org...

Similarly, many products that have partially hydrogenated oils claim 0 grams Trans Fat (per serving), which is ridiculous because partially hydrgenating an oil always results in trans fats. Legally, as long as a food has less than .5% of something, it can claim it doesn't contain any. Therefor, a food company can manipulate serving sizes in order to be able to claim 0 grams of something, like Trans Fat. So, for example, if a box of macaroini and cheese is divided into 4 servings on the Nutrition Information, it can have almost 2 grams of trans fat (which is significant) and still claim it has 0 grams. This isn't just misleading, it is outright lying.

Our overlords are fattening us up on TGIFridays, McDonalds and Starbucks. When we are fat enough the motherships will land and we will be harvested.

Also, in many foriegn countries being fat is a sign of wealth. If you can;t find rice who the hell cares about a coke.

However, when I cut out soda at work, and coffee, I went from 225 to 212 in a matter of 2 weeks. It is bad stuff, but then again, so is the air we breathe so what can we do?

I'll take my chances with the diet soda.

If aspartame really is dangerous, I would have had problems a long time ago. I constantly drink diet soda; and I'd rather risk seizures than get fatter, any day.

Other recent studies do not agree that HFCS promotes weight gain. Many note that the chemical makeup of HFCS and sucrose are essentially identical. I have no opinion on the product yet, but the scientific data on both sides of the issue must be explored to reach any reasonable conclusion. What's your corn footprint? HA.

Critical Reviews In Food Science And Nutrition


Statenews.com


The New York Times










[edit on 10/15/2007 by TheAvenger]

Originally posted by Kacen
I'll take my chances with the diet soda.

If aspartame really is dangerous, I would have had problems a long time ago. I constantly drink diet soda; and I'd rather risk seizures than get fatter, any day.

Aspartame is the methyl ester of aspartic acid and phenylalanine. These are two of the 20 amino acids that make up the proteins in your body. I have serious doubts that aspartame would be harmful to most people, (though there is one small group that cannot tolerate it) and it is my sweetener of choice also.



[edit on 10/16/2007 by TheAvenger]

Originally posted by TheAvenger
Aspertame is the methyl ester of aspartic acid and phenylalanine. These are two of the 20 amino acids that make up the proteins in your body. I have serious doubts that aspertame would be harmful to most people, (though there is one small group that cannot tolerate it) and it is my sweetener of choice also.

Yeah, thats what I thought. It is only dangerous to people with certain "allergies".

I'm a hardy fellow, I can eat/drink pretty much anything without negative effects. I have no food allergies (that I know of).

See sometimes thats what happens a very small minority of people have allergies to a certain product and people think it can happen to anyone.

reply to post by anhinga



great thread. I am still learning about this stuff so my post will be light. But it is amazing to me the crap we eat and drink, but would not put this tihs in our car

On a recent road trip I went through the middle of Texas. I stopped at a gas station to refill and grab some drinks. They carried the rare Dr. Pepper that is sweetened by cane sugar rather than HFCS. The difference was incredible, the cane sugar tasted much better. It was bitter sweet though, I can't get this type of Dr. Pepper in California.

HFCS... manufactured to increase profit margins at the cost of the publics health.

I'll mention another thing and I don't think it's been mentioned. Fruit "juices" or "juice drinks" are often packaged and advertised to look like real juces when they are not. Next time you're at the grocery store,, started checking out the labels on the juice isle. Amazing how many things pass themselves off as juice and the first ingredient after water is "high fructose corn syrup" Sometimes, if you're lucky, you might even see "Contains 10% Real Juice!" Give me a break. I've actually pointed this out to my wife many times following shopping trips. The juice is primarily for our 3 and 6 year olds. And she's so damned health conscious buts still gets duped! We've settled on Juicy Juice as a good brand for purity.

reply to post by Beachcoma


Same here. I've turned to using honey to sweeten all the foods I used to use sugars or artificial sugars on.

My favorite so far has been honey on top of buttered pancakes, on cereal, and in milk and tea.

Not only does it taste good, but honey is the only food in the world that will never rot or expire. It only solidifies, and if it does, heating it will make it into a liquid again. I didn't verify the article, but I read one a few years ago where archaeologists in Egypt found some honey in a tomb and tried it with no ill effects happening to them.

Originally posted by DeadFlagBlues
reply to post by Beachcoma

 

That's rough. But hey, you know how I feel about this. Everyone's cramming burgers in their mouth and I'm just asking for a little moderation. I'm ready to help anybody that wants some footing on where to start with vegetarianism or veganism.

If you happen to wonder over to the darkside, you let me know, buddy.

[edit on 15-10-2007 by DeadFlagBlues]

I've been meaning to go on detox and start eating healthier for a while now, but i haven't been able to decide on one.
Any reccomendations?
By the way, why are you preaching about being so healthy when you have openly admitted to excluding one of the most important foods in the human diet - red meat?

reply to post by POKEMANS


Red meat is not good for you. That may be why I left it out. And hey, I'll send you a U2U regarding the detox.

[edit on 16-10-2007 by DeadFlagBlues]

I dont mean to be offensive here deadflag, but, are you disagreeing with evolution? Or are you saying you don't believe in it?
It was red meat that brought humans to where we are today.
When prehistoric man discovered red meat, and cooked red meat, the omega 3 and protein levels in their body rapidly increased. This ultimately made them smarter and allowed them to create tools, which they used to hunt animals and get more red meat, and eventually, red meat gave them the tools neccessary to create civilazation.
Thanks for the U2U offer, would be great

reply to post by POKEMANS


Those tools were a necessity to an easy meal. Evolution is due from "necessity" in every single way. I'm not saying meat eating wasn't a primary factor of our survival but now that we're not necessarily running down our prey and we can have healthy alternative without hunting or gathering, Cro magnon wasn't slaughtering 2 million head of cattle a month, you know? Early stages in our evolution, we WERE an active variable in our eco-system, of which now we are the all powerful. It's obvious that in this modern age should take it upon ourselves to modify our daily diets for our own health and the environments.

hmm i spose you do raise a good point DeadFlag, but why exactly should we stop eating red meat? You said it's bad for us...What exactly is in it that is unhealthy?

Our body doesn't digest it. Simple and plain. There's 4.9 pounds of undigested meat in the intestinal tract/colon of the average, middle aged American male. Don't get me wrong, our bodies will pretty much digest anything but it has an especially hard time with any "meat." Also, the quality of meat you guys are eating is disgusting. From the way the meat is horomonally manipulated, starting at birth, to processing, and to storage is almost criminal.

As much as I hate the industry, I have the same disgust for what it's doing to my fellow people for a buck. It's bull*.

They're single handedly ruining the environment, harvesting flesh, and making people think that eating meat will make you "big and strong." Or even that the body needs this ridiculous amount of protein. It's infuriating. Just look at these boards of misinformed people defending meat. Just doesn't make any sense to me. Talk about "conspiracy" or "brainwashing." People so adamantly defend "meat" but have ZERO idea of it's effect on the environment or the men and women who eat it.

Look at our obesity rates compared to any other non-cattle grazing society. Look at our cancer rates compared to any other non -cattle grazing society. Look at the mass spectrum of health related issues in these soceties and there's no other culprit but DIET. Your health issues are staring your right in the face, or the mouth. Literally. And people ignore the reality of things because "taste" or some preconceived notion that meat is healthy. Absolutely ridiculous and I'm tired of it.


[edit on 16-10-2007 by DeadFlagBlues]

Also, I have a thread I started that didn't receive much attnetion but I think it's equally as telling about the meat industry and it's irreversable damage on the environment and what adopting a vegetarian lifestyle will do to combat that.

Meat industry/global warming.

You don't have to comment or anything but go to the video link. Wild stuff.

Originally posted by evilod

Originally posted by MinHawk
My boyfriend and I, for several months, have been trying to eliminate both HFCS and MSG from our diets. Now, I can't say that we've been so successful we've totally eliminated, because, what I find truly scary here is that it seems almost impossible - but we only rarely drink sodas (like, one soda per month, if that), and we don't eat things like potato chips.

Yeah, it's really messed up because MSG can actually be labeled in many different ways, such as "seasoning" and "natural flavoring: So, even when you are actively trying to avoid it, you may still be eating it. That is wrong. Whether or not you believe it is harmful to you, it should be clearly labeled, not hidden. People should have the right to know exactly what they are eating.

Here is a list of many different ways MSG may be labeled... www.truthinlabeling.org...

Similarly, many products that have partially hydrogenated oils claim 0 grams Trans Fat (per serving), which is ridiculous because partially hydrgenating an oil always results in trans fats. Legally, as long as a food has less than .5% of something, it can claim it doesn't contain any. Therefor, a food company can manipulate serving sizes in order to be able to claim 0 grams of something, like Trans Fat. So, for example, if a box of macaroini and cheese is divided into 4 servings on the Nutrition Information, it can have almost 2 grams of trans fat (which is significant) and still claim it has 0 grams. This isn't just misleading, it is outright lying.

Thanks. *bookmarks that*

Yeah, I know that in many cases, people hide ingredients, or just outright lie about them. You have to wonder why this isn't seriously being regulated.

What if, say, you're allergic to MSG or something? I've never heard of anyone being so, but theoretically, it could happen, right? And then, someone could be sued for not properly labelling their ingredients.

I hate not being able to know what I am eating.

Just a couple of questions...

1.) Why is MSG bad for you?

2.) Aspartame really only affects one group of people? I personally doubt it, regardless of what any scientist says. The warning is on there for a reason, and obviously it is a highly synthesized material regardless of what it was originally composed of.

3.) Dead Flag Blues, I would like to hear more about this whole red meat thing. I have tried to become a veggie before but with little or no success. Can you help me?