Last week, I rattled off a list of food substances that are banned in other countries around the world but are shamefully used by food manufacturers in the United States. Today, I want to take a hard look at one ingredient that looks to be on its way out, and another that should be.
Partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, more commonly known as trans fats, could be nearing their final days in the American food supply. These man-made substances are used to extend the shelf life of food and make it more flavorful. They also increase the production of bad cholesterol that leads to obesity, heart disease and other chronic illnesses.
Consumption of trans fats among Americans has dropped significantly in the last 10 years and food manufacturers have voluntarily reduced the use of trans fats. However, the risk is still serious enough for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to finally step in.
The FDA has ruled trans fats aren’t “generally recognized as safe” – the understatement of the year – and if this preliminary determination is finalized, foods with such unapproved additives would be illegal to sell.
Assuming the ban of trans fats goes through, it is expected to prevent 7,000 deaths from heart disease and 20,000 heart attacks while saving billions of dollars in healthcare costs.
This movement to ban trans fats shows what can happen when health-conscious individuals and organizations put enough pressure on the powers-that-be so they’ll wake up to the piles of scientific research that prove a substance is deadly.
Unfortunately, the debate about high-fructose corn syrup rages on. High-fructose corn syrup is the main sweetener used in processed foods and beverages. In addition to high levels of fructose and sugar, high-fructose corn syrup is loaded with harmful chemical toxins.
According to an article written by Dr. Mark Hyman for the Huffington Post, the glucose and fructose in high-fructose corn syrup become separated in the human body. The fructose then goes straight in to the liver, causing high fat production, or lipogenesis.
This results in a condition appropriately named fatty liver, which affects 90 million Americans and leads to pre-diabetes and Type 2 diabetes. It’s no wonder why heart attacks, strokes, cancer, Type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases have reached epidemic levels in our country.
While high-fructose corn syrup has been restricted in Europe, it hasn’t been banned. Even worse, consumption in the United States has remained steady for the past 10 years.
In America, high-fructose corn syrup is widely used because it’s so much cheaper than pure sugar. In Europe, high-fructose corn syrup is restricted to adhere to production quotas enacted in the name of economic fairness and competitiveness, not as a way to save people’s lives.
We all know who typically wins the health vs. money debate. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Just as courageous lawmakers in California are pushing for safety warnings on sugary drinks, we need to tell our elected representatives that we want trans fats, high-fructose corn syrup and other harmful substances out of our food supply!
For the sake of our children’s health and a healthcare system on the verge of collapse, let’s keep the pressure on. In the meantime, keep a close eye on the ingredients in the foods you purchase. Or, simply choose fresh, unprocessed foods and beverages. Let’s continue to make smart decisions and strongly encourage politicians to do the same!
Dr. James Proodian is an accomplished chiropractic physician and health educator who founded Proodian Healthcare Family of Companies to help people feel better, function better, and live longer. His expertise for the past two decades has been in physical rehabilitation, and he has successfully established himself as a spinal specialist. In his practice, he advocates the science of functional medicine, which takes an integrative approach to treating patients by addressing their physical, nutritional, and psychological needs. Alarmed by the escalation of complex, chronic illness in our country, Dr. Proodian has been speaking to companies and organizations through his “Wellness at Work” program since 1994, motivating thousands of people to make positive lifestyle choices and lead healthier, more productive lives. He can be heard weekly on his radio program, “Proodian Healthcare By Design,” on Tandem Radio.
Multiple health risks Studies into the health risks of HFCS have been conducted in many countries, and it’s widely agreed that it contributes to obesity, diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. But it’s not actually banned anywhere.
Consumption of trans fats among Americans has dropped significantly in the last 10 years and food manufacturers have voluntarily reduced the use of trans fats. However, the risk is still serious enough for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to finally step in.
This results in a condition appropriately named fatty liver, which affects 90 million Americans and leads to pre-diabetes and Type 2 diabetes. It’s no wonder why heart attacks, strokes, cancer, Type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases have reached epidemic levels in our country.
Last week, I rattled off a list of food substances that are banned in other countries around the world but are shamefully used by food manufacturers in the United States. Today, I want to take a hard look at one ingredient that looks to be on its way out, and another that should be.
Dr. James Proodian is an accomplished chiropractic physician and health educator who founded Proodian Healthcare Family of Companies to help people feel better, function better, and live longer. His expertise for the past two decades has been in physical rehabilitation, and he has successfully established himself as a spinal specialist. In his practice, he advocates the science of functional medicine, which takes an integrative approach to treating patients by addressing their physical, nutritional, and psychological needs. Alarmed by the escalation of complex, chronic illness in our country, Dr. Proodian has been speaking to companies and organizations through his “Wellness at Work” program since 1994, motivating thousands of people to make positive lifestyle choices and lead healthier, more productive lives. He can be heard weekly on his radio program, “Proodian Healthcare By Design,” on Tandem Radio.
We all know who typically wins the health vs. money debate. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Bartlett said in an interview that HFCS was called to his attention by a constituent. “I started paying attention to it,” he said. “It’s in steak sauce, ketchup and jellies. It’s in so much stuff. I think that folks need to be aware of what they’re ingesting into the systems, especially our children. I think high fructose corn syrup is a contributor to obesity, diabetes and heart disease. I think our citizens should know that. As a state representative, I think my job is to represent the ideology of my constituency base and make them aware of anything that’s bringing harm or danger to them.”
John S. White, Ph.D., nutritional biochemist and former president of White Technical Research, attributes misunderstandings about HFCS to a 2004 scientific study that correlated rising rates of obesity with increasing use of HFCS. White noted that the hypothesis presented by the authors didn’t mention sugar, although sugar and HFCS are very similar. As the study reached the general public, HCFS became an ingredient to be avoided while sugar got a free pass. It also should be noted, White emphasized, that consumption of HFCS has declined steeply since 1999, while obesity rates have continued to rise; sugar use has increased substantially as well over this time period.
Reducing health issues associated with high sugar consumption is a goal set forth by the White House National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition and Health. Front-of-package labeling is one proposed strategy to highlight the nutritional content of foods. Currently, added sugars are called out on the Nutrition Facts Panel, which is commonly found on the back or side of packages. FDA does not differentiate between sugar, HFCS, honey, agave or other nutritive sweeteners.
“Research has come out since 2004 doing side by side comparisons in clinical studies between HFCS and sugar that has shown that the body responds almost identically to both of them,” White explained. “That is not a surprise when you know that they have a very similar composition. The sugars going into the blood stream from HFCS and sugar are virtually identical. Those who are well-informed about the science and nutrition of sweeteners are in agreement that HFCS and sugar can be exchanged one-for-one in foods and beverages with little detectable metabolic and nutritional difference. The AMA [American Medical Association] says that. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has said that. Expert scientific panels have said that.”
In the interest of educating citizens, he suggested other food ingredients may be targeted. “I probably will go out to some other areas too just to make folks aware,” he explained. “I think that our Hoosiers should know what’s going into their systems and creating health issues. A lot of folks do not have health insurance. If we can combat some things that create problems, I think the legislature should do that.”
Is High Fructose Corn Syrup Really That Bad For You?
FAQ
What is corn syrup and why is it bad for you?
Why doesn t america ban high fructose corn syrup?
Why do Europeans not use corn syrup?
Why is corn syrup banned in the UK?
Should high fructose corn syrup be banned?
Environmental factors such as a lack of physical activity, coupled with powerful food marketing tactics, means each city, state, nation and region has to determine what regulations work best to keep their populations healthy. At the moment, this does not include bans on high fructose corn syrup in any country or region.
Is sucralose made from corn syrup?
No. Sucralose is an artificial sweetener and sugar substitute. It is synthesized by the selective chlorination of sucrose in a multistep route that substitutes three specific hydroxyl groups with chlorine atoms.
Is corn syrup a sugar?
Corn syrup consists entirely of glucose, which is the body’s main source of fuel. It is, however, still sugar. Research suggests that added sugars account for about 14–17% of the total caloric intake of people in the western world. These figures are above the World Health Organization’s recommended level of 10%.
Does high fructose corn syrup cause obesity?
Though, as in the U.S., there is debate in the EU about the role of high fructose corn syrup in the spreading obesity epidemic, production quotas on the product were eased in 2011 “in order to improve the sector’s efficiency and competitiveness.”