When I see people giving advice to others about eating stuff I know is not good I want to yell stop! Am I the only one that has that problem. Some of the advice is great don't get me wrong. I think this is a terrific place to be. I don't think some people read the disclaimer that this is not medical advice. It drives me crazy to see people telling others to eat HFCS junk.
It took me alot of years to read labels. Now I google the advice I read and see what the pros and cons are. There are always two sides to every coin. Please research things after people tell you. Don't just take advice. It may be great advice or it may not. Please, please , please, read books, read labels, read studies. Thank you.
Please read the article below if you don't know about HFCS.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp...nguage=printer

I'm not a fan of added sugars, but it is hard for me to get worked up about HFCS in particular. HFCS contains a mixture of glucose and fructose which do have different metabolic pathways in the body. The current going fear seems to be that when we used sucrose primarily (a molecule made of glucose and fructose) we didn't have the obesity crisis so it must be the evil HFCS, with a lot of the concern around fructose specifically. But, fructose is the primary sugar in all the healthy fruits that we eat, and presumably are the type of sugar that humans are supposed to eat, as opposed to sucrose which is refined out of beets and cane. While I monitor quantity of sugars, which can certainly be very bad (as in a bucket of soda from the quickie mart) fructose itself doesn't scare me in a biochemical sense.

The health studies of HFCS are right now inconclusive at best, which is why this is so controversial a subject. I can be convinced that HFCS is bad, but it will take good studies, given humans' basic reliance on fructose. And it could happen--it took about 50 years for people to understand that trans fats were basically poison.

I have no doubt that HFCS contributes to the obesity epidemic, but I believe that is a matter of economics. Since it costs so much less than sucrose, massive quantities are used (and eaten) and too many calories of anything will lead to overweight/obesity.

So no, I really don't want to scream if someone eats a 100 calorie pack of cookies. It would be nice if we could all do with a hot bowl of oatmeal, and have perfect eating habits, but that just isn't realistic. If that gives someone the little treat they need, that in turn helps someone eat a mostly healthy diet, then I'm all for it. Small steps.

Anne

Great summation, Anne! You've put into words much of what's been scratching the back of my mind about HFCS. Yes, it's sugar, and yes, it's highly processed. The fructose angle seems a straw man issue to me though—isn't HFCS 55 fructose/45 glucose while granulated sugar is 50/50? Does that 5% (or 10% difference) make that much of a difference in the body? I'm inclined to lean to what you've said, which is quantity. People didn't get fat 60 years ago from pop with granulated sugar in it, but know what? They didn't drink 3 cans of it a day either.

For me the issue with turning things FF is basically...yo, dude, you've turned it FF. I don't want your frankenfood FF brie. Gimme some real brie! If it's a crap version of something I like, is it really going to hit the spot? Doubtful.

Advertising has turned us into quantity-seekers. Perhaps the answer lies in becoming quality-seekers.

Oh, back to the topic. I try to keep my mouth shut when I see people promoting "diet" foods that I don't agree with. If they ask me what I think or what I'm having for lunch, I'll tell them. And my response would be along the lines of, "the FF sounds great, but I like to have a smaller portion of the real thing! Same calories and tastes better to me!"

It does seem that we're always reminiscing about the "good old days," and trying to find a simple (and usually wrong) reason things have changed. A nation's food habits change gradually enough that we hardly notice the change, and we soon forget that what's "normal" today wasn't so normal not that long ago. I still remember when going to McDonald's was a big deal for our family, and the "Big Mac," was the largest sandwhich you could think of, and heck I'm only 41.

Anne you are so rational and articulate.

When I first started this new way of life back in September I suppose I wasn't as dilligent checking every little thing on labels. I found some fat free Cool Whip that was on sale, 2 for something or other and figured, oh great nice treat for once in awhile with berries. A few days later I look further at the label, thinking there might be some HCFS in there and sure enough there was. At first I freaked out. Took a few breaths and said to myself, what is wrong with me? I'm not even eating 2 TBS of the cool whip at a time and no more the 2 or 3 times a week. Can this stuff really be so evil that I'm going to screw myself over by ingesting a tiny amount every now and then? And of course the answer is NO.

I know the verdict is out on a variety of "foods" (HFCS, Diet Coke, you-name-it) as to whether to do any damage or not. My theory is this: the verdict isn't out on apples, broccoli, and a gazillion other foods, so I'll just stick with them.

I do occasionally have a Diet Coke, or something with HFCS in it. I just try to minimize it, because I try to adhere closely to a whole-foods diet, and there's nothing "whole" or "foody" about diet coke or HFCS, IMO.

KAPLODS - no kidding, good perspective! I remember when McD's was a family treat, and not a meal staple.

I know for me, learning to eat better was a process. When I started reading the Super Foods book, the author recommended yogurt as a super food. For me, "yogurt you ate on a diet" was yoplait fat free, so that's what I ate, I thought I was doing a GREAT thing. It was a very slow evolution from Yoplait Fat Free (filled with sugars, chemicals and junk) to plain non fat yogurt with fresh strawberries. I learned more, I started eating better.

What has bugged me for a long time is the commercial with Kirstie Alley for Jenny Criag where she states that you can eat chocolate cake and still loose a ton of weght. Ok, Kirstie Alley, don't get me started...but the idea of not having to change any eating habits at all, just eat jenny craig food, and your excess weight will just melt away, is absolutely absurd and misleading. Jenny Craig and Kirstie Alley should go to jail for promoting weight loss this way!

Thank you for the comment.
I think I am learning all the time. Everyday I gain more knowledge. I hope I'm putting whole good foods in my body instead of chemicals.

Although I tend to stay away from HCFS if at all possible, I agree that it in and of itself is not the problem.

What does make me want to scream is when people trade one bad habit for another. For example, my business partner used to drink regular Pepsi. A lot. Like 6-12 cans PER DAY and she wondered why she was gaining weight. Okay, so she did the good thing and gave up soda (kudos to her for doing that) but she now drinks Ocean Spray Cran-fruit drinks. Hello?!?!? Do you see the calories on those things? They are not diet!!!! You're still going to gain weight!!!

I do try to avoid HFCS, but it's hard when it's in everything from yogurt to bread! If I buy my lovely Trader Joe's bread, even if I have to travel a fair way to get it, and I invest in my favorite Greek yogurt, that's ideal, but sometimes you have to make do.

I'm originally from the UK and HFCS isn't really used a great deal there. We have an obesity problem too. However, I did put on a huge amount of weight in a very short time when I moved to the US. As somebody with insulin sensitivity, I can't help but wonder if HFCS was part of the problem. I believe that it's actually illegal in some European countries. I think we can all agree that natural is best if possible, and HFCS is not as nature intended!

I think most people would agree that natural, whole foods are the most nutritious, but for many, if not most, drastic change is extremely difficult. While some people do best "cold-turkey," gradual change is easier and more maintainable. Sometimes making a "better" choice is more realistic than making the "best," choice, so it's important to pick your battles carefully.

I too try to avoid HFCS, and if I can't find something (like bread) that is made without it, then I at least look for it way down the list of ingredients. I make my own bread when I have time, usually using honey for the sweetner, but sometimes Life just gets in the way.

All the health concerns aside, I try to stay completely away from it as I have noticed it actually stimulates my appetite!

If it isn't in the top 4 or 5 ingredients, I don't worry too much.