Moved from the Budget Board: anyone else eliminating High Fructose Corn Syrup

[Dashzap]

Could someone who has been following this thread please make a summary post (OP could put it in first post maybe)? I'd love to know all this info but what a long thread!

We've been avoiding HFCS for a while when eating at home. Traveling we don't worry about it. I wish there was HFCS free coke in the US.

I tend to make all our cookies, so that isn't a problem.

Bread is from Costco or Nature's Oven at Safeway.

 

[wdw_dine_junkie]

For those of you who are writing letters to companies, is anyone willing to share their letter? I'd like to write a few, especially to Publix, but it would be great to have a letter as a 'template'. Thanks!

I noticed Publix brand canned red kidney beans have HFCS. I wasn't surprised that their ketchup, breads, relish, etc. contain it, but beans?

 

[wdw_dine_junkie]

For those of you who are writing letters to companies, is anyone willing to share their letter? I'd like to write a few, especially to Publix, but it would be great to have a letter as a 'template'. Thanks!

I noticed Publix brand canned red kidney beans have HFCS. I wasn't surprised that their ketchup, breads, relish, etc. contain it, but beans?

Wickles sweet relish does not have it, it's the only brand I have found that doesn't. It's not cheap, but it is yummy. Has anyone found a good BBQ sauce without it?

 

[bumbershoot]

Ya know, after I answered about that, I thought about you and your family...

Oh, and when we were in DL last Sunday, as we walked by the Tiki Room, DS10 said "remember that person on DISboards whose kid can't eat Dole Whips?" So even though we don't know you, we were thinking about you!

And just to verify...the Dole Whips have corn syrup solids - not HFCS? For some reason, I was thinking they had HFCS, but was too lazy to go back and read the whole thread again. My kids will be happy to know they can still have them. (We skipped them the other day.)

Aw, you're so sweet!

The whips have corn syrup solids. So if you don't have the same problems as poor DS does, you're fine.

I wish there was HFCS free coke in the US.

I don't have a good enough memory to distill it all, but I wanted to mention that right now, at some stores in some areas, you can find Kosher for Passover sodas which are NOT made with HFCS.

And Jones Sodas don't have it either, but not everyone likes their flavors, even the normal ones.

And some "health food store" Blue Sky sodas DO have it, though it's sometimes called "glucose fructose syrup", which Blue Sky verified in email is indeed HFCS.



I was at Costco the other day and saw the HUGE container of Nesquik mix. For various reasons Nesquik has been on my mind, and I decided to read it, to verify that it had HFCS in it (as I figured it must!). Um, it did not. Didn't even have corn syrup solids. In fact, compared to some foods these days...it's practically health food! Compared to foods when I was growing up, it wasn't health food, but compared to foods now, definitely. So now I'm rethinking Nesquik as a fun treat, b/c Hershey's syrup isn't allowed anything (darn them) and DH especially is getting TIRED of just drinking water.

Speaking of things not allowed as a child but nowadays compared to the alternatives it's almost healthy...I'm now rethinking KoolAid for DH and sometimes for me. (not that I have a say over what DH drinks, but I do most of the shopping and his consuming HFCS does affect me since he responds to it by getting so tired he nearly passes out) He's just so tired of water, and his milk consumption has skyrocketed, but then he thinks that's bad b/c his snoring has gotten SO bad and his throat feels gunky when he drinks so much milk, and he just needs something else... KoolAid, who'd'a thunk it? (now let's hope hubby doesn't have issues with Red 40 dye, eh?)

 

[bumbershoot]

I noticed Publix brand canned red kidney beans have HFCS. I wasn't surprised that their ketchup, breads, relish, etc. contain it, but beans?

That's just WEIRD.

 

[Illuminations_Rocks]

I was wondering... some of the items I buy contain "modified corn starch". Ummm, what is this??

 

[amyy]

eeyorethegreat,

I live in Bangor and for the last few weeks have been trying to eliminate HFCS. Right now the Natural Living Center in Bangor has Odwella bars at 2 for $1. They were 4 for $1. I have really been stockpiling. They were $1.59 each at Hannaford! Overall we didn't have a lot of HFCS products in our home so it hasn't been too hard. I also picked up some pizza sauce & spaghetti sauce there. I am having a hard time finding graham crackers. Any ideas? I picked some up at around $5 and they tasted horrible. This week I decided I would have to go without.

What products are you looking for? I do like the farmer's market in Orono which should be starting up soon. I also like Ingrid's in Bangor. She has a European Farmers Market on Sat and someone from Blue Hill sells the best bread. Plus veggies, homemade salsa etc.

Oh, this morning I picked up Bare Naked granola at buy one get one free at Shaws. That sale is on all week.

 

[powellrj]

Wickles sweet relish does not have it, it's the only brand I have found that doesn't. It's not cheap, but it is yummy. Has anyone found a good BBQ sauce without it?

I am not sure if its a regional brand, but Montgomery Inn BBQ sauce doesn't have any. Heinz also makes a BBQ sauce that doesn't have any, but it is really hard to find.

 

[IluvKingLouis]

Could someone who has been following this thread please make a summary post (OP could put it in first post maybe)? I'd love to know all this info but what a long thread!
.

Hi there! I'm the OP. I'm not too sure how to do a summary. Were you wishing to keep track of HFCS free foods? If so, please see my list at http://stophfcs.com/list.html

I try to keep it current, but I know I'm a bit behind at the moment. Maybe I can get caught up over the weekend.

 

[wowsmom]

Aw, you're so sweet!

The whips have corn syrup solids. So if you don't have the same problems as poor DS does, you're fine.

I just told my boys...they were like this ->

Does your DH like lemonade? I finally tried the Simply Lemonade a couple of days ago - my boys have been drinking it for a couple of months now. It's delicious! It tastes like the homemade lemonade my mom used to make every once in a long while when I was growing up.

 

[Belle2667]

Speaking of things not allowed as a child but nowadays compared to the alternatives it's almost healthy...I'm now rethinking KoolAid for DH and sometimes for me. (not that I have a say over what DH drinks, but I do most of the shopping and his consuming HFCS does affect me since he responds to it by getting so tired he nearly passes out) He's just so tired of water, and his milk consumption has skyrocketed, but then he thinks that's bad b/c his snoring has gotten SO bad and his throat feels gunky when he drinks so much milk, and he just needs something else... KoolAid, who'd'a thunk it? (now let's hope hubby doesn't have issues with Red 40 dye, eh?)

It's so funny you should say this! I was just thinking it earlier today. My brothers and I grew up on KoolAid! My parents always bought the unsweetened ones and we had to add our own sugar. Yuck if someone forgot!

When I became a parent, I thought I was doing my kids a favor by not giving them all that sugar. Ha! If I had only known then what I know now!

 

[gardengirlco]

Speaking of things not allowed as a child but nowadays compared to the alternatives it's almost healthy...I'm now rethinking KoolAid for DH and sometimes for me. (not that I have a say over what DH drinks, but I do most of the shopping and his consuming HFCS does affect me since he responds to it by getting so tired he nearly passes out) He's just so tired of water, and his milk consumption has skyrocketed, but then he thinks that's bad b/c his snoring has gotten SO bad and his throat feels gunky when he drinks so much milk, and he just needs something else... KoolAid, who'd'a thunk it? (now let's hope hubby doesn't have issues with Red 40 dye, eh?)

Don't know if your DH would be into it, but one thing I really like is juice spritzers. I buy seltzer water and mix about 2/3 of it with about 1/3 juice. My favorite is Langer's cranberry 100% juice mixed with seltzer. Yum!

 

[SondraC]

Does anyone have info on Vitamin Water? It lists "crystalline fructose" on the label, is this in the same area as HFCS?
Thanks!

 

[eeyorethegreat]

We live in a fairly rural area too. We have a Kroger here and a wal*mart (I RARELY shop there and almost never for food). It's 20 minutes away to any other grocery store and 40 minute to Whole Foods. Kroger does have a "healthy" section where I can pick up a few things that I usually get at Whole Foods.

As for cost.....the way I look at it is:
Heart caths are expensive
Bariatric surgery is expensive
Knee replacements are expensive
Cancer surgeries and chemo are expensive
Rehab from a stroke is expensive
Funerals are expensive

If I can ward off those things by eating better, then it's worth it.

I do get the point about eating better and healthier, that is why I am making healthy changes in my family's diet. Point is and I think it is a valid point for many- most anything "good for you" costs at least three times more that your regular bands . I know that all those medical treatments are expensive as well as funerals. I wanted helpful direction to someplace I might be able to purchase products that are health friendly and might not also triple my food budget. So that I could make some more healthful decisions.

 

[wowsmom]

Does anyone have info on Vitamin Water? It lists "crystalline fructose" on the label, is this in the same area as HFCS?
Thanks!

http://www.thefitshack.com/2007/03/28/what-is-crystalline-fructose/

This link talks about crystalline fructose...

 

[abeyst]

Breads: Some of Aunt Millie's brands of breads don't have HFCS. We have the Healthy Goodness Potato bread right now, and it says "NO HFCS".

I didn't realize HFCS was such a big deal. I was noticing the blurbs on the bread labels when I was shopping for 100% whole grain bread (and finding that, let me tell you, can be quite a feat of it's own....), and I remember thinking to myself "man, why do all these breads make it a point to say they don't have HFCS?"

 

[KerriL]

He's just so tired of water, and his milk consumption has skyrocketed, but then he thinks that's bad b/c his snoring has gotten SO bad and his throat feels gunky when he drinks so much milk, and he just needs something else... KoolAid, who'd'a thunk it? (now let's hope hubby doesn't have issues with Red 40 dye, eh?)

I just checked the label of my can of powdered Gatorade..it does not contain any HFCS. It's first 2 ingredients are sucrose and dextrose, however.
I know the bottled Gatorade does contain HFCS.
Will your husband drink this? I buy it at BJ's since the cannister is larger than the one at the regular grocery store and cheaper too. My husband lives on this stuff since he had his j-pouch surgery over 20 years ago. It is essential to his health that he has drinks with electrolytes, like sodium and potassium.
We are also trying to eliminate HFCS from our food. Thank goodness, it's not in the powdered Gatorade..water would be the only thing that hubby would be able to drink.
Kerri

 

[figaromeetsmarie]

I was wondering... some of the items I buy contain "modified corn starch". Ummm, what is this??

Modified corn starch (also called modified food starch) is an additive that's made by treating starch, which modifies one or more of its physical properties. This change may affect the texture, how fast it dissolves, or how easily it can be digested. The starch can come from corn (as stated) but can also be made from wheat, potato, rice, or tapioca. It's added to foods to act as a thickener, to acquire a certain texture, or to keep foods moist.

In other words....It is MSG

 

[figaromeetsmarie]

This was interesting about:
Morningstar Farms Chicken Patties

"
Truthfully speaking, although I liked the way these tasted and the fact that each small patty contains 10g of protein, I probably wouldn't buy these again. Why? On the list of ingredients, it says "natural and artificial flavors from nonmeat sources." Um, gross. It also contains corn syrup and caramel color, which really surprised me. I guess it's a good reminder that you can't judge a food by its box — just because it's vegetarian doesn't mean it's healthy."

 

[figaromeetsmarie]

Ok...one more interesting but NASTY article. I have avoided Carmine for a LONG time but it does have different names!!
http://www.fitsugar.com/1125059