There are a string of commercials produced by the Corn Refiners Association that encourages the consumption of High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS). I’m speechless in very much the same way the actors in these commercials are, however for a very different reason. Watch for yourself.
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEbRxTOyGf0]
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W40yHDFxkAY]
I dare someone to ask me what’s wrong with HFCS. I can guarantee it won’t result in a blank stare. Here are a few facts about HFCS so you’re prepared to answer when someone asks you what’s wrong with HFCS:
- Studies have shown that half of the HFCS used is contaminated with mercury.
- HFCS has been linked to behavior disorders in children.
- HFCS can has been shown to a contribute to the rise of obesity & adult onset diabetes.
- HFCS is a chemically processed food additive that our bodies can become addicted to and left wanting more (which makes it hard to consume in moderation as the commercials encourage).
Related Babyminding Posts:
High Fructose Corn Syrup Contaminated with Mercury!
How a Child’s Diet Affects Behavior
I’m surprised the Crack Cocaine Association hasn’t done some similar ads!
I remember watching the top one and thinking it must be a joke, but then there was no punch line. As a prominent nutritionist once said in a talk I attended, “High Fructose Corn Syrup is the worlds WORST food”
Great article Tela!
Have you seen the HFCS google ad running on your site? It says the study was outdated and that HFCS is safe. I haven’t read up on it yet. I feel somewhat bad for HFCS manufacturers in that the new info about it is hurting their business, and the original intent of manufacturing HFCS wasn’t to poison our children or make them obese. However, you can’t deny the negative side of HFCS. I look forward to a time when there are jobs for turning corn into bio-fuel instead of jobs that turn corn into an unhealthy food additive.
Thanks for catching the ad. Google places them automatically based on content. I’ve since removed it.
Regarding your comment, I agree with you that the intention behind HFCS was not to harm our children, but rather to develop a product that would allow food manufacturers to maximize their profit. As a result due to the irresponsibility of a greedy industry, health is at risk. John brought the following to my attention and I find it pretty enlightening and thought you might enjoy – http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/kingcorn/
And you’re right, at this point I think [GMO] corn has become better suited to fuel automobiles rather than our bodies.
Don’t want to be the devil’s advocate here, but honestly, HFCS /can/ be consumed in moderation—this isn’t crack cocaine! I only recently heard about the controversy surrounding it after probably having consumed it *in moderation* for years as a child and teenager and never having experienced anything that could even remotely be interpreted as an addiction. By “in moderation”, I mean consuming it in small quantities once or twice a day (max), in things like peanut butter or jam (vs. soft drinks etc, which are almost always consumed in larger quantities). IMO, the whole addiction talk is only applicable to people who are used to eating sweet stuff by the truckload.