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

[wowsmom]

I like yogurt with granola. I used to get the plain yogurt and flavor it with maple flavoring and some fructose and then top with pecan praline granola from Trader Joe's. Mmmm....

 

[lucky1]

I read an article about Coke a couple of years ago in Parade. It seems they use pure cane sugar for their sodas distributed outside of the US.

You can buy these Coke products in some Latino markets. They come in the small bottles like they did years ago. They keep them behind the counter so you have to ask for them.

We live in Arizona and our Costco sells Coke in glass bottles from Mexico made with Cane Sugar. We gave up Soft Drinks and plastic bottles in 2004, but had to try them. They were good and had to drink them straight from the bottle.

 

[abeyst]

I eat the plain yogurt (too many extra carbs in the vanilla for me) and mix strawberries in it to counter the sour taste. Strawberries a few days old and a little mushy work great

 

[CheezDoodle]

oops. posted under my DD's account.

 

[Steffi]

I recently started shopping for foods free of HFCS and hydrogenated oils at my 13 year old DD's urging. I've also been trying to just eat more natural, whole foods in general. It's interesting to actually read food labels and see what's in the foods I've been eating.

I've been lurking on this thread for awhile and have gotten some great tips from everyone, so, thanks! (I truly do feel better already and have dropped a couple of pounds just by giving up Cokes.)

 

[mom2grace]

I eat the plain activa, I put a banana in it, or frozen cherries from Trader Joe's. It tastes best if you use a food processor and let it sit for a while in the fridge, but I am usually too lazy for this! So, I just smash up a banana and mix it in.

It is a little tangy, but I feel like I am eating healthy!

I buy the dannon all-naturals for my kids. The Yoplait yo digestive is fructose/glucose, etc free. I bought that for DS 4 since Meijer didn't have the all naturals in peach!

 

[lucky1]

Here is the response that Coca-Cola sent me on my concern that they are using HFCS in US brands.. Sounds like they are putting it back on the bottler and the consumer.

Thank you for contacting The Coca-Cola Company. We appreciate your interest in our brands.

As you may know, it is left to the discretion of each bottler of Coca-Cola to choose whether the product will be sweetened with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), sucrose, or a combination of the two. This decision is typically based on availability and cost. Different consumers perceive taste in very different ways. It is, however, possible for the same soft drink to vary slightly in taste due to such factors as the temperature at which it is consumed, the foods with which it is consumed, or the condition of storage of the product prior to consumption. Also, some carbonation can be lost during pouring and/or serving.

If you would like to contact the bottling company serving your area, please reply directly to this message, providing your postal zip code, and we will be happy to provide you with the appropriate contact information.

We look forward to hearing from you again.

Laura
Industry and Consumer Affairs
The Coca-Cola Company

 

[MrMarv]

Grape Nuts and plain yogurt?
Never thought about combining those two!!!!

Thanks!!!!

 

[IluvKingLouis]

Grape Nuts and plain yogurt?
Never thought about combining those two!!!!

Thanks!!!!

When I was a poor college student and health food nut, I would take plain yogurt, stir in chopped dried fruit and uncooked oats and drizzle a little honey on top. It was quite good!

 

[happycampers]

Anyone found a bottle of corn syrup that does not contain HFCS? Every brand I've found has it. How's that for irony?

 

[bumbershoot]

Grape Nuts and plain yogurt?
Never thought about combining those two!!!!

Thanks!!!!

Oh no, not plain yogurt. Don't like plain yogurt...


happycampers, that's just weird!

 

[wowsmom]

Anyone found a bottle of corn syrup that does not contain HFCS? Every brand I've found has it. How's that for irony?

Aaww man...I never checked that...another thing in the trash!

Guess I'll be looking at Whole Foods to see if they have corn syrup (not that I use it that often, but still.....)

 

[gonemousin']

Anyone found a bottle of corn syrup that does not contain HFCS? Every brand I've found has it. How's that for irony?

No and I'm super frustrated by it. I have a wonderful chocolate pecan pie recipe that my family enjoys, but I can't make it because of DD4's allergy to HFCS. So PLEASE...if you manage to find a brand of corn syrup without HFCS, do tell!!

 

[mello]

I just read an article today in Family Circle Magazine about HFCS. Apparently, it doesn't metabolize like other foods, and actually makes you hungrier!!! No wonder why everyone is gaining so much weight today!

On another note, my daughter cannot have artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives due to food sensitivities that mimic the symptoms of ADD and ADHD. We are following the Feingold Program, and it has completely changed my daughter for the better! Anyways, because of that, and the lack of chocolate syrups out there, I make my own "Hershey's Syrup". It so soooooooo good and so easy. If anyone wants the recipe, feel free to PM me.

Michelle

We have the same issue here. We thought our son was ADHD; when he was a toddler he was like a wild animal - it was awful! After reading lots of literature on the subject we started an elimination diet, and discovered that Red Dye #40 is by far the worst culprit for him. Other dyes cause issues to a lesser extent. We found out we were poisining him daily with his vitamins, cereal, juice, fruit snacks, etc. etc. It's in everything! Once he had it cleared out of his system he was another child altogether, it was amazing! That was about 8 years ago, and he's a fantastic kid now, but I can't imagine the trouble he'd probably be in at his age now, had we not found out about his allergies.

 

[happycampers]

No and I'm super frustrated by it. I have a wonderful chocolate pecan pie recipe that my family enjoys, but I can't make it because of DD4's allergy to HFCS. So PLEASE...if you manage to find a brand of corn syrup without HFCS, do tell!!

Just thought to look on the OP's site, www.stophfcs.com/list.html. She has listed "Karo Dark (with blue label)". I didn't find that in the stores I had checked. All I found were "light" corn syrups. I'll have to keep looking in some other stores. Makes you wonder which kind is being used when "corn syrup" is listed on a product's ingredient label.

 

[happycampers]

Went to the farm today. (Pepperidge Farm Outlet Store)
Here is what we found that was "clean" as DD13 says (free of HFCS and anything hydrogenated) if you'd like to add them to your list.

100% Whole Wheat Whole Grain Bagels
Goldfish Pretzel
Goldfish Cheddar
Goldfish Whole Grain Cheddar
(I didn't check all Goldfish flavors. So there may be more.)
Harvest Wheat Distinctive Crackers
Whole Grain Golden Harvest Grains bread
Whole Grain Soft Honey Whole Wheat bread
100% Natural 100% Whole Wheat bread

I also got the Butter Chessmen Cookies that have been considered HFCS free. However, "Corn Syrup Solids" is listed in the ingredients. I believe someone on here mentioned that was another name for HFCS. So they may not be as "clean" as we would like. Please correct me if I'm wrong. We LOVE Chessmen around here.

 

[bumbershoot]

I don't think corn syrup solids are another name, but it's something our family has to avoid b/c of DS's reaction to anything with "corn syrup" in the name.

Milano cookies don't have any of it.

The raspberry filled "lattice" cookies, however, do have one of the things DS can't have (not sure if it's HFCS which would affect y'all, or if it's just corn syrup).


mjlewis23 and mello, I sometimes wonder if DS has a dye thing going on, too. SO many of the foods with the corn syrup stuff in it also has dyes. I started listing the candy he CAN have, and it's the basic stuff without dyes. Normal chocolate, reese's cups (hmm, could be wrong on that, but he rarely has them anyway), that sort of thing...no jellybeans, no skittles, no m&ms...and those are the colorful foods as well as having corn syrup and/or HFCS...hard to tell!

 

[mickeysgal75]

Thanks to everyone here, we are starting to eliminate HFCS from the house. I'm new to the board and was checking everything out a couple of days ago and came across this thread. I showed my DH and he couldn't believe it either. We went out to our cupboards and started looking at everything and couldn't believe the things this stuff is in. It's ridiculous! I made my first trip to Whole Foods the next day and was pleasantly shocked at the many offerings they had, bought a few things and we have really enjoyed the stuff! Even though it's been a few days, I haven't felt like I haven't had to snack every 10 mins and I actually feel a bit better. Thanks again guys!

 

[happycampers]

I don't think corn syrup solids are another name, but it's something our family has to avoid b/c of DS's reaction to anything with "corn syrup" in the name.

Thank you. Good to know. Perhaps I was confusing your post with the reply you received from Blue Sky (with the aka's for HFCS) with ones where you've mentioned ingredients that cause a reaction for your son. We can now enjoy those Chessmen guilt-free (and HFCS free ).

 

[wowsmom]

No and I'm super frustrated by it. I have a wonderful chocolate pecan pie recipe that my family enjoys, but I can't make it because of DD4's allergy to HFCS. So PLEASE...if you manage to find a brand of corn syrup without HFCS, do tell!!

I was at Whole Foods this morning so I checked. They have corn syrup by Wholesome Sweeteners. The ingredients are organic corn syrup, organic glucose syrup, natural vanilla flavor and salt.

That glucose syrup always makes me wonder....

I do have a suggestion for your pecan pie though. Instead of the corn syrup, use golden syrup - Lyle's is the brand I've always used. If you have a Cost Plus World Market near you, they usually carry it. Or you might be able to order it online.

This was actually suggested to me by some British and Bermudian friends.