You might think that the increase of the use of “high-fructose corn syrup during the past 30 years, would be safe. High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is an “artificial” sweetener made from a complex process with corn; a process of brewing, separating, breaking down, injecting enzymes, filtering, mixing and blending. Sounds safe enough, doesn’t it?
High fructose corn syrup is extremely soluble and mixes well in many foods. It is cheap to produce, sweet and easy to store. It’s used in everything from bread to pasta sauces to bacon to beer as well as in “health products” like protein bars and “natural” sodas.
HFCS is less expensive, lasts longer, and is more easily transported and handled than natural sugar; thus food producers prefer it for their manufacturing processes.
Research has shown that “high-fructose corn syrup” goes directly to the liver, releasing enzymes that instruct the body to then store fat! This may elevate triglyceride (fat in blood) levels and elevate cholesterol levels. Because it is metabolized by the liver, fructose does not cause the pancreas to release insulin the way it normally does. Fructose converts to fat more than any other sugar. Fructose reduces the affinity of insulin for its receptor, which is the hallmark of type-2 diabetes.
Some research claims that HFCS does not metabolize in the body like regular “natural” sugars; and that it might cause obesity-related glitches within the liver and other organs which normally deal with metabolizing, storing and using sugars in the body.
HFCS is Often Contaminated with Mercury. Recent studies of samples of HFCS and food products containing it in the United States conducted via two studies found that between 31% and 45% of the samples contained mercury. Mercury is toxic in even small quantities. For years, there have been suspicions that mercury used in vaccines may be related to the rise in autism in the United States. But this mercury contamination issue is much bigger and affects common foods widespread throughout the nation’s food supply. Products tested from big-name manufacturers such as Minute Maid, Coca-Cola, Hershey’s, Quaker, Hunt’s, Manwich, Smucker’s, Kraft, Nutri-Grain, and Yoplait had detectable levels of mercury.
Today, Commercial fruit juices and any products containing high fructose corn syrup are more dangerous than sugar and should be removed from the diet.
Read Labels! You’ll quickly see that this ingredient has been added to half the supermarket. So read under Ingredients carefully and look for High Fructose Corn Syrup or even just Corn Syrup.