High Fructose Corn Syrup – YUM!
August 30, 2007 by Tracee Sioux
Filed under Parenting
Have you read YOU: The Owner’s Manual: An Insider’s Guide to the Body that Will Make You Healthier and Younger
I didn’t know it but High Fructose Corn Syrup is my favorite food on the planet. I’m actually unsure if it’s possible not to eat it. Maybe if you have access to a lot of health food stores in a big-city you might be able to do it, but I’m questioning whether in a meat-n-potatoes small town it’s even a viable and affordable option.
Some of the thing I previously believed were healthy enough.
- Peanut Butter
- Salad Dressing
- Whole Wheat Bread
- Granola Bars
- Crackers
- Instant Oatmeal
- Shredded Wheat Cereal
Get rid of Partially Hydrogenated Oil and what is left? Not much. Ever noticed how much less expensive the HFCS and PHO foods are in the grocery store? Between .30 and $2 per item, by my estimation. If it’s even available.
I’m still deciding whether it’s something I am able to give up.
Yep, I’ve read it and really like it. But, I still buy one thing w/high fructose corn syrup b/c I crave a sugary snack sometimes. I just keep in mind that it’s worse than sugar so it’s pretty easy to limit myself to that one serving. And if it is going to have HFCS as the first ingredient (which it always is), it’s going to be low fat snackwells cookies or something really yummy, not something healthy like yogurt, b/c there are great tasting yogurts that don’t have HFCS. So there are times when I just really crave a sugary something, and a piece of fruit or a yogurt just doesn’t cut it. I figure if I eat a minimal amount of HFCS it’s not going to hurt me.
Oh, and I still eat crackers. Not even whole grain ones necessarily. I eat the low fat wheat thins.
I’ve read the nutrition label of everything. If I’m eating HFCS, I want to know I’m doing it so that I can make sure I limit my portion to the serving size and not eat the whole box. Deep inside I have another version of myself that could literally eat bags and bags of chips and cookies. It’s hard work to keep her in check! I read labels b/c it’s sobering and keeps me in line.
First of all, Rebecca, low fat snackwells as a treat? Um, okay.
I started limiting HCFS last year. I buy natural peanut butter and Kashi granola bars and crackers. I’ve found several of these items available at Walmart if you have one of those near you.
It costs more money though, no way around that. I look at it as an investment in my health, one that will pay off later down the road (what do you think the copay for a heart attack is?) From everything I have read HFCS increases weight gain, raises triglyceride levels, induces insulin resistance, increase blood pressure and even promotes bone density loss.
I already have enough problems.
I think that reduced fat snackwells vanilla creme cookies and reduced fat oreos are as good as the regular fat ones, and they’re still totally bad for me. i’m just saving some fat grams. So they’re a special treat.
Hey, more power to you. I was just kidding. I don’t really even like real Oreos that much.
No problem!
T- I have their new book, YOU ON A DIET, The owner’s manual for Waist Management. It’s great. One of the most fascinating facts in it is that 95% of your body’s seratonin is found in the intestines, while your central nervous system has only about 2%. Seratonin is what helps control depression in the brain. Your intestine helps guide you in all of the decisions you make about eating. No wonder food can be so powerfully addictive.
Yet don’t doctors treat seratonin in the brain with pills for depression? What foods can up the seratonin?
When we’re hungry, our bodies crave foods that provide an immediate rush of serotonin (foods like sugar and carbs). But research has found that better choices would be foods high in Omega 3 fatty acids, which are found in fish, and can boost brain power, clear cholesterol and help depression. Another great food is lean turkey which has tryptophan, which increases serotonin to improve your mood and combat depression and helps you resist cravings for simple carbs.
Oh, I am trying SO hard to eat clean right now. I have found the best way to avoid all the craptastic foods is to make food from scratch.
We still have food that is not great for you, but I only use real butter, olive oil, canola oil, etc… I try to buy organic when possible, and have virtually cut out anything that comes in a can.
Staying away from preprepared foods is hard, but even if you make your own junk food it’s still better for you because you know what is going into it.