I'm sure a lot of you have seen the commercials about High Fructose Corn Syrup and how it's just as good or bad for you as sugar. I know that these ads are paid for by the corn industry, but what is the truth? Obviously we should stay away from both, but is it just as bad to have added sugar in foods as it is to have HFCS?

From what I understand, yes. My brother got into health-foods and weight lifting many years ago, and he ran a natural-foods and natural-health store for many years too. That type of thing is his passion, so he learned a lot. And I learn a lot from him. He told me that research has shown that granulated sugar (really any type of processed or refined sugar) leads to inflammation of our organs and internal structure, and prolonged "inflammation" over time can lead to the diseases and cancers we all know about. Apparently something about how the body processes sugar. I don't know all the details myself, but I think it's something worth investigating.

I personally try to steer clear of refined sugar when possible, but frankly most sugar alternatives (agave nectar, honey, maple syrup, or others) are quite pricey around here, so I usually just try to use refined sugar in very moderate portions. I would love to be able to afford to replace all my sugar intake with agave nectar or stevia someday, but right now it just isn't financially possible for my family.

The commercials make me furious. They are on an active campaign to turn around public perception of the ingredient.

Jennifer received an email and a letter with promo material, after she wrote a press release for a company that touted they would not sell food items that contained high fructose corn syrup (and other items). The president of the Corn Refiners Association in DC contacted her, claiming she was perpetuating a myth.

The best info I've found about why HFCS is bad for you was in the "You: On a Diet" book. I checked it out of my library and was fascinated-- it's more like a science textbook (an interesting one!) than a diet book. As I recall, your body doesn't recognize HFCS the same way it does more complex carbs, so it can trigger significant overeating... or something like that! Sorry I can't be more exact, but I don't have the book with me right now.

The book explains how our bodies work and how health problems develop. It does cover the info that Leela referenced about how and why refined carbs (sugar, HFCS, etc.) lead to various health problems. It's definitely worth reading if you want to know exactly how and why changes in your diet and exercise will make you healthier. After I returned the library copy, I looked for a used copy for myself since it was so informative!