not becoming a food freak...at least not yet
So, I have started evaluating my health. I am getting more exercise (this is going slow...I am out of shape but I am still working on it). However, exercise is only part. I have turned to my pantry and, more importantly, what is in the ingredients list. I have a history of high blood pressure so I have cut down on my salt (that was not too difficult...I grew up with low sodium because my dad has high blood pressure). My next ingredient to go is HFCS. For those that might not know, that is the dreaded high fructose corn syrup. I have done some research on the subject and there are several things about it that have really alarmed me. First of all, it is in so much of what we eat. Really, look at your ingredients list on a food you would not assume to have it and it does. Case in point, Dannon yogurt fruit on the bottom. It is one of my faves and I thought it was a good substitute for ice cream. Well, when I started looking into what had HFCS, I was shocked to see my yogurt contains the HFCS. Sometimes, ingredients lists will just say "corn syrup". Since I know they like to manipulate labels, I am not taking any chances (the FDA recently decided that HFCS could be labeled as "natural" so I rest my case). Essentially, anything with corn syrup is bad in my book and I am now boycotting it. Which leads me to my second point with HFCS. HFCS began hitting the US food market in a large capacity in 1975. In fact, there was a large push between 1975 and 1985 to change over from beet and cane sugar to HFCS. If you look at the rate of obesity in this country, you will see that the obesity epidemic coincided with the switch to HFCS. I am not saying there weren't other factors but it does seem like a strange coincidence. Which leads me to my last point...the effects of HFCS on the human body. There was never any long term testing done in regard to the impact of HFCS. I will not bore you with all the facts but I will provide a link to a wikipedia article. I have found that this article is accurate with reports and research done within the science field. Wikipedia should always be double checked factually because it has a propensity to be inaccurate:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_fructose_corn_syrup
Needless to say, the gist is that HFCS affects digestion as well as insulin levels. To begin with metabolism, HFCS can leave you feeling hungry which will lead you to eating more:
http://www.thefactsaboutfitness.com/news/hfcs.htm
In regards to HFCS and sugar...yes, sugar does affect insulin but HFCS does it in a different and dangerous way. It provides resistance to insulin. Here is an article from Science Daily for further reading:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090303123802.htm
So, from my perspective, this is one more thing that the government says is alright now but in twenty years will tell you it is killing you. I am not willing to take the chance. Maybe I do not have a lot of faith in my government protecting me but considering how health care is going and the ongoing problem with pharmaceuticals...I guess I am not willing to take that leap of faith that my elected government has my best interest in mind. So, to protect myself, very low salt and no HFCS if possible. Normally, I believe all for one and one for all but in this case, I am looking out for number one =D
and to lighten up the mood, I present a musical ingredient's list:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_fructose_corn_syrup
Needless to say, the gist is that HFCS affects digestion as well as insulin levels. To begin with metabolism, HFCS can leave you feeling hungry which will lead you to eating more:
http://www.thefactsaboutfitness.com/news/hfcs.htm
In regards to HFCS and sugar...yes, sugar does affect insulin but HFCS does it in a different and dangerous way. It provides resistance to insulin. Here is an article from Science Daily for further reading:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090303123802.htm
So, from my perspective, this is one more thing that the government says is alright now but in twenty years will tell you it is killing you. I am not willing to take the chance. Maybe I do not have a lot of faith in my government protecting me but considering how health care is going and the ongoing problem with pharmaceuticals...I guess I am not willing to take that leap of faith that my elected government has my best interest in mind. So, to protect myself, very low salt and no HFCS if possible. Normally, I believe all for one and one for all but in this case, I am looking out for number one =D
and to lighten up the mood, I present a musical ingredient's list:
Click to view