Category — High Fructose Corn Syrup

I think it’s important to sit down and put all this nutritional info into realistic context.

I had a conversation the other morning with a group of women I hold in very high regard.  They are a compassionate, ambitious, and discerning group and they had an excellent point to make.

These women have been eager to learn more and more about decoding nutrition labels and making healthful decisions about the foods they bring into their homes.  They described recent shopping visits (now as avid label reading consumers) as empowering, eye-opening, disheartening, sometimes disgusting, and, in the end, totally depressing.  They were, it seemed, dismayed that so many of their favorite foods were downright harmful to their health.  The chant – “Ignorance is Bliss”.

Once you know what to look for – the rotten stuff on food labels – and you can’t  pretend you don’t see it, there’s no turning back.  It’s just like being a committed recycler and then visiting a location that doesn’t facilitate recycling of your morning paper.  You can’t simply throw it in the trash.  You’re tempted to put it in your suitcase and cart it back to your hometown for proper disposal!

Food label reading is the same thing.  Now that the high fructose corn syrup, the hydrogenated oils and trans fats alerts are in your head, you simply can’t shake them out.

The reality is – for the new label reader, it does get easier.  Grocery shopping becomes an adventure, an expedition perhaps?  My kids get a kick out of correcting  me and/or my husband when we inadvertently place a “non-okay” (kiddo term) item in the cart during a shopping excursion.  Taking charge over what we CHOOSE to take in can make you feel refreshingly capable, no matter what your age.

I’m going to kick off this blog addressing one of my huge frustrations in the food world. I cannot stand that so many food manufacturers are using High Fructose Corn Syrup, and even more infuriating is the recent string of television commercials trying to promote the artificial sweetening agent as okay in moderation.

You will find High Fructose Corn Syrup in products throughout your local grocery store. It entered the marketplace in the 1970’s as a cheaper alternative to sugar in volume food production. In the form of a fermenting murky liquid manufactured in chemical plants, consumption of HFCS has been linked to diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and accelerated aging.

It will be a challenge, but read those ingredient labels and put back any product with HFCS in the list (and there will be many). It’s everywhere – pizzas, baked beans, candies, breads, yogurt, baby food, ketchup, cookies, even beer. Have faith though; there are options in the store without it. My kids love 3 snacks in particular that are free of the nasty stuff – Indigo Rabbit cookies, Smart Puffs (distributed by Robert’s American Gourmet), and Rold Gold Honey Wheat Braided pretzels.

I’d love to get new ideas.  What are some terrific grocery store items you’ve found that don’t contain HFCS?