Why To Avoid Foods Containing High Fructose Corn Syrup
What is High Fructose Corn Syrup?
High Fructose Corn Syrup is derived from cornstarch, and is sually a combination of 55 percent fructose and 45 percent sucrose. It is treated with an enzyme that converts glucose to fructose, which results in a sweeter product that is used in many foods and drinks.
What does High Fructose Corn Syrup do to us?
High fructose consumption has been fingered as a causative factor in heart disease. It raises blood levels of cholesterol and another type of fat, triglyceride. It makes blood cells more prone to clotting, and it may also accelerate the aging process.
How to reduce High Fructose Corn Syrup in your diet?
Read food labels and avoid any foods that contain High Fructose Corn Syrup or even Corn Syrup. High Fructose Corn Syrup is mostly found in foods with empty calories. Empty-calories foods generally refer to foods with high calories but low nutritional values. The best strategy is to replace these foods with nutrient-dense foods such as:
- Instead of drinking soft drinks to quench your thirst, try water, low-fat milk or real fruit juice.
- Instead of snacking on candies or cookies in mid-afternoon, try snacking on fruit with low-fat yogurt.
- Instead of using refined grains, try whole-grain baked goods.
Which foods contain High Fructose Corn Syrup?
I looked online and there wasn’t much that I could find that had just a list of foods that contain HFCS, but I did find another blog that had went through all the trouble to list them. So thanks to the Accidental Hedonist Blog and HERE is the post with the list of foods, if you want to take a look.
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Thanks for the informative post. I never knew why some said “high fructose” and some did not, especially in canned fruits.
January 31st, 2008 at 1:47 amI have read that is it a myth that HFCS is sweeter than regular sugar. Moderating sugar in general is a good idea for most people out there (I think people consume much more than they realize), but it’s all sugar, not just one kind. So switching from soda to juice may actually not help people as much as switching to diet drinks or, even better, water.
January 31st, 2008 at 8:35 pmAudrey- Your welcome. Up until 2 years ago, I didn’t even know that I should be avoiding HFCS. Now I read every label on new foods I purchase.
Jo- You are right..water is the best of all choices when it comes to drinks. For some people, switching to juice would be a small step towards getting rid of all the sugar in their diet.
February 1st, 2008 at 2:56 pm[...] corn syrup over a period of days, until they are accustomed to the pure maple flavor. I do this to avoid the high fructose corn syrup in the conventional [...]
March 4th, 2008 at 8:29 am