There will always be diet fads. Whether it’s all carbs, no carbs, more omega 3′s, or tons of fiber, we will never fully rid ourselves of these passing trends based on the nutritional opinion of the day.
When the fad was no carbs, breads and other carb heavy items plummeted in sales. Lately high fructose corn syrup has been the victim of a dieting trend backlash and many people now actively avoid it. I will admit to being one of those people – but my food habits have drastically shifted towards homemade, unprocessed, and whole foods and I tend to avoid additives of all sorts not just government subsidized corn syrup.
This negative view of corn syrup has been strong enough to prompt a website created by the corn farmers devoted entirely to dispel “myths” about HFCS and educate people on it’s benefits. And TV Commercials, but I cannot embed the videos for them.
There are mixed conclusions from scientific studies on just how bad corn syrup is in the diet and its impact on general health. (Plus, some studies were funded by soft drink companies, really come on ). My opinion based on a little research is that corn syrup in moderation is fine, but with the pervasiveness of corn syrup in almost every processed item imaginable, moderation is not easy.
One thing is certain – the only way to avoid corn syrup is to avoid processed foods as much as possible, as HFCS and corn syrup show up in the most unexpected places. (Next time you’re at the store just pause to read the ingredients on the foods you buy, you might be surprised, I know I was!) Fad or not the public is taking note. Sales of products containing high fructose corn syrup decreased by 9% in 2009 as compared to 2007.
Manufacturers are fighting back.
Even packages that claim to have no high fructose corn syrup are misleading. Take this package of Post’s Raisin Bran that was on the shelf at our local grocery store:
In case you couldn’t read the box from the low resolution cell phone image I took, let me zoom it in for you. Right below the name, in very large letters was the health claim that it “contains no high fructose corn syrup” – Italicized and everything!
This health claim surprised me so I had to read the ingredients list to confirm it’s truth. At first glance it appears to be true: there is sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup. But then the next ingredient…
Yes, you see that correctly: corn syrup. A false statement: No. A little cheap: Maybe.
Sneaky Post, very sneaky…
Here is what the real issue is:
“The debate about which [sugar] is better for you is a false debate, because neither of them is good for you,” says Elizabeth Abbott, author of the forthcoming “Sugar: A Bittersweet History.”
The more I eat and learn the more I think Michael Pollan had it right:
Eat real food. Not too much. Mostly plants.
It’s the eating “real food” part that’s the hardest.
Looking for more information?
Here are some studies on corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, and sugar:
Related posts:
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
It’s important to note that the “market response” you discuss is not due to health discoveries or facts, but to consumers’ unfounded fears. You may not have known it, but you got it right when you said that high fructose corn syrup has become “the victim of a dieting trend backlash.” And at the end of the day “dieting trends” don’t have a good track record of helping people live healthier lifestyles.
My recent post Tracking HSUS’s Shocking Snubbing of Local Shelters