high fructose corn syrup

[My sister's princess]

I am just curious if this panic is a passing fad?

I have read on here a several times a few people who seem obsessed with avoiding it. Yet, when I try to find information about if it is really that bad for me, I mostly find kooky websites with unsupported information.

 

[Lintasare]

I wouldn't worry about what a very few posters on the Dis say. My doctor says it's fine for you though to try to limit how much you eat. This can be hard but I have found if I cut down on soda and eat less processed foods then I am ok.

Though I will say personally...I do prefer soda sweetened with sugar, though that can be hard to find.

 

[My sister's princess]

I wouldn't worry about what a very few posters on the Dis say. My doctor says it's fine for you though to try to limit how much you eat. This can be hard but I have found if I cut down on soda and eat less processed foods then I am ok.

Though I will say personally...I do prefer soda sweetened with sugar, though that can be hard to find.

Well that's what I was thinking, but jeepers there are some posters who seem to think that consuming it, or worse yet, giving it to children should be a federal crime

 

[marlynnp]

Well that's what I was thinking, but jeepers there are some posters who seem to think that consuming it, or worse yet, giving it to children should be a federal crime

I believe you may have it mixed up - the belief is that they will commit a federal crime. I think it was - "homicidal rage".

 

[MosMom]

We all make choices for our bodies and our children's bodies. I don't think it is evil but it is in EVERYTHING so saying "eat it in moderation" can be hard. It is in spaghetti sauce! It is hidden in many things you would never suspect so it isn't as simple as drinking sodas in moderation or having a popsicle only twice a week.

I try to avoid it and go with more natural foods. If you want to eat it, go for it.

 

[java]

Read the labels. Seeing it in everything processed is what upsets me. I don't need mechanically altered sugar in everything I buy. Bread? that's the one that surprised me. I make bread. I don't put sugar in it. Why would I need HFCS in there? It's the sneaking it into everything that bugs me.
Do my kids have an ice pop with HFCS? sure I am not saying never ever. I will just buy a non-hfcs product when there is an option.
I don't push it onto anyone else- It's just what works for my family. If you don't care don't worry about it.
I don't know if it's a fad- for us it's not going to be. I'll opt out of it whenever I can.

 

[Aisling]

Well that's what I was thinking, but jeepers there are some posters who seem to think that consuming it, or worse yet, giving it to children should be a federal crime

There really are people who have a reaction when they consume HFCS, my dad being one of them. It makes him irritable, sweaty, anxious...symptoms resembling low blood sugar but not. Anyway, he avoids it, and I thank goodness I didn't inherit his intolerance to it.

About it being a passing fad, I'm noticed HFCS commericals on TV, which are quite funny.
Woman 1: Here's a nice cold drink.
Woman 2: Oh, no, I can't have that, it has HFCS in it.
1: And?..
2. Well, I uh, I , hmmm, I don't know!

So it's making a comeback, which means the anti-HFCS peeps will be coming out again, to start the sillyness all over again.


Edited to add: the silliness I mentioned is the arguing over it, when it basically comes down to us all making our own choices. I didn't mean one side or the other was silly. I consume HFCS, but as another poster said, ity's in just about everything, so if you're watching your sugars in any form, do read the labels.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I don't know if it's really that big a deal for everyone but I personally avoid it because it seems to give me lots of migraines. Even so I don't ban it from my kids or DH's diets.

I think the big problem with Corn Syrup is that it can contribute a vast number of calories with little bulk/volume. Also, due to it's low bulk the substance allows manufacturers to add a great deal of sugar to substances and this is bad for people with a tendency towards diabetes.

That said, I happen to think that to a healthy person, everything in moderation is fine. If it's a problem for someone such as myself it should be avoided.

 

[dejr_8]

I am just curious if this panic is a passing fad?

I have read on here a several times a few people who seem obsessed with avoiding it. Yet, when I try to find information about if it is really that bad for me, I mostly find kooky websites with unsupported information.

See my thread about Conspiracists...

HFCS is just sugary syrup (yes I know that is redundant). It is not the issue. How much you eat of the foods that are high in HFCS IS the issue. As others have posted - Moderation is the key.

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

I think its a lot of mis-information being repeated over and over that gives some people the heebie-jeebies about it.

its like a lot of substances and food additives out there, you have probably been consuming them for YEARS and didn't notice anything until the "panic", (probably created by the SUGAR industry!! hehehehehe)

I reserve judgement until more LEVEL-HEADED and unbiased information is promulgated by some authorities.

 

[shortbun]

I would be worried if I was ingesting a lot of anything that was manmade. We buy soda without it. We rarely eat candy that has it. I really believe that the obsesity problems we are having in this country are related to the high level of use of HFCS. I always make sure I read lables and eliminate all altered materials as much as possible. Why would anyone purposefully use lots of any man made sweetner when there are plenty of naturally sweet foods available?

Do you wonder why the increase in all types of cancers, diabetes, obesity, heart disease? Modified fats, sweetners and other chemically altered items we put in our bodies very well could be the reason.

 

[Magic Mom]

I would be worried if I was ingesting a lot of anything that was manmade. We buy soda without it.

What soda do you buy?

 

[My sister's princess]

Ok, so a question to those who avoid it, themselves and their families,

How do you handle birthday parties? Do your kids just politely say no thank you? Is it a battle with them, because they can't partake?

 

[Wall-E1]

I'm not sure how much worse it is than other sweeteners, but I try to avoid it. I always opt for the products that have plain old sugar. I just go by a general rule that the least processed ingredients are probably the safest. I have heard though that the dangers of high fructose corn syrup are a bit over blown.

 

[PebblesMK]

Ok, so a question to those who avoid it, themselves and their families,

How do you handle birthday parties? Do your kids just politely say no thank you? Is it a battle with them, because they can't partake?

One year, my child and I were standing in line to see Santa and started chatting with the lady ahead of us. She shared that her 6 year old had NEVER had any candy or artificially flavored anything because she was afraid that he would become disgustingly obese if she gave him any. But here's where my problem lies. I think limiting things is great, but it's completely feasible for that child to get to an age where he WILL end up trying some sort of sugary sweetness and go overboard and eat anything he can get his hands on because it's something that is forbidden, and because of that, the hfcs will become a danger to his health. If a child is told to say no to birthday cake/ice cream/candy for reasons other than medical, that child will eventually take things to an unhealthy level.

 

[Sparx]

I think a ton of people are afraid of anything thats "processed" but I mean, sugar canes aren't a big straw full of white crystals. Plenty of processing and chemical treatments are done to sugar cane and beet sugar before its suitable for human consumption.

 

[Ephany]

I believe that as with anything, moderation is the key. It's in everything, and I've sat through enough biochemistry lectures to decide that it's not something I want to consume in excess amounts. I am however, not giving up my cherry Pepsi! I've got to have one vice. So my bread costs $2 a loaf instead of $1 and I have to read labels a bit more carefully. It can be sometimes difficult to find HFCS free alternatives, but honestly my family doesn't even notice when I switch maple syrup or their lunch snacks.

I try to minimize where I can; I don't really care for artificial sweetners for the most part so it's really not a big deal. I don't rant and rave at others about their personal choices and I appreciate the same courtesy in return (not directed at anyone here). Oh, and I don't freak out if DD eats it occasionally. I grew up with some prime examples of kids who were denied sweets/privelages growing up and they went crazy once they were on their own, again moderation is key for us.

 

[Guy Incognito]

As others have posted - Moderation is the key.

and there's the real issue..... if we'd all live by 'moderation is the key', we wouldn't be having an obesity problem in the first place....

 

[MosMom]

My kids are allowed to have treats in moderation. I just choose to eliminate unnatural foods from our daily diet as much as possible. I'm not sure I see why that would be a bad thing or something to be laughed at?

I would also like to point out...that picture in my signature is my kids on halloween. My daughter is holding a nice big bag of candy they were allowed to eat.

 

[My sister's princess]

My kids are allowed to have treats in moderation. I just choose to eliminate unnatural foods from our daily diet as much as possible. I'm not sure I see why that would be a bad thing or something to be laughed at?

Not a single person in the thread has laughed about anyone else on this thread, or their diets. So far all I have seen are people discussing their families' habits in a respectful way.