The ongoing discussion around how healthy High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is for us has ranged for many years, with plenty of scientists and government officials getting stuck in and sharing their educated opinions. Now the debate has just taken another turn, with the Corn Refiners Association recently petitioning the U.S Food and Drug Administration to allow the name of ‘corn sugar’ as an alternative to HFCS.
Hip Moms Go Green has previously reported about the story behind HFCS and the article gives a good insight into this common ingredient found in many of our foods. HFCS is a part-processed sweetener and is very popular with food manufacturers. It is favored in just about every type of food that needs sweetening. However, recent research has identified links between the use of HFCS and obesity. In particular, the problem is that HFCS is considered to cause a range of health issues such as insulin problems, blood pressure concerns and other diseases.
According to Medical News Today, despite advertising campaigns that have promoted corn syrup as a natural ingredient which only comes from corn, the sales of HFCS are still low. So the Corn Refiners Association has looked at some independent research and now believes that the current labeling of the product as HFCS is causing too much confusion for Americans. “Consumers need to know what is in their foods and where their foods come from and we want to be clear with them.” explains Audrae Erickson, president of the Corn Refiners Association, “The term ‘corn sugar’ succinctly and accurately describes what this natural ingredient is and where it comes from – corn”. There are examples of goods where once the product name was changed to something more palatable, then sales increased – perhaps this is the real driver behind the proposed change of name from HFCS to corn sugar. Whatever the reason, at the end of the day, the American consumer will be the one who decides whether it is all really just in a name. HipMomsGoGreen will certainly not be fooled.
If you are interested in finding out more about HFCS or corn sugar there are a couple of sites that are worth having a look at. The Corn Refiners Association provides one side of the story (http://www.cornsugar.com) with a range of expert opinions and quick facts about corn sugar and its nutritional benefits. To learn more from the other side of the story check out the American Dietetic Association’s website and Dr. Mercola’s take. This is a hot topic that won’t be going away soon and it has a major impact on your family’s health so it is definitely worth getting a good grasp on the key issues. If you would like some ideas on how to reduce the amount of HFCS you and your family are consuming, there are some great ideas and tips provided in the article by Hip Moms Go Green called The Story Behind HFCS.
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One Comment On This Post
The debate about corn is heating up again as this article points out, and new stories from Fox News about whether biofuels are more green than fossil fuels to Al Goreirking corn lobbies by wondering aloud if massive subsidies for first-generation ethanol is a mistake have emerged with it. How are the debates over ethanol and biofuels connected to the health risks mentioned in the article? It has something to do with supply and demand and where the corn that is grown will go in the future. No matter what, we will need to begin to cut back our practices of over-consumption and over-processing and look to more sustainable practices where everyone’s needs can be met. It may just be a more healthy choice. Consumers can take matters into their own hands by directly communicating with companies about how they make their products. Visit http://www.WeStayGreen.com where we have built a tool to let companies know how they can improve their products and make them more healthy and more green. You can also create a group and advocate for companies to share information or change the names of the ingredients in their products from initials like HFCS to more clear names like corn sugar.