Down with HFCS!

[Sohrshah]

Originally Posted by Morrigoon

The issue with HFCS is it doesn't trigger the proper insulin response. As a result, we do not get the feeling of "fullness" we ought to for the amount of calories we consume, so we consume more. Plus it screws with our bodies.

Heavy use of it is due in part to restrictions on sugar imports and tariffs on same - we pay about 3x the world price for sugar.

Originally Posted by Alex

Eat real sugar! Otherwise we overthrew the Hawaiian monarchy and stole the land for no good reason (not that much sugar is grown in Hawaii any more)!

I will have to pass that on to a Hawaiian Royal I know.
One of the alternatives they are using for sugar and HFCS is Splenda. I remember you telling me some interesting stuff about Splenda and free radicals. Any update on that research that you know of?

[Strangler Lewis]

Originally Posted by Sohrshah

I am a great supporter of the "whole food" mentality, which I feel is akin to the way of moderation. Eat real food whenever possible, including real sugar, but don't kid yourself into believing that sugar in the raw is health food.

Sugar goes through an intense refining process from cane juice to the white crystals we're accustomed to seeing, even "raw" sugar is nowhere near a "raw" food!

It's only part of the way. Working at home I gained a bunch of weight nervously downing too many sandwiches made with organic peanut butter and artisan jams on whole grain Ezekiel bread. That and nightly organic oil mops, otherwise known as salad, nearly killed me.

[Sohrshah]

Originally Posted by Strangler Lewis

It's only part of the way. Working at home I gained a bunch of weight nervously downing too many sandwiches made with organic peanut butter and artisan jams on whole grain Ezekiel bread. That and nightly organic oil mops, otherwise known as salad, nearly killed me.

Indeed! Overeating is overeating, no matter what we're eating! I'm an expert at overeating, and I look the part. Still the theory is all things in moderation.

[Morrigoon]

Originally Posted by Strangler Lewis

That and nightly organic oil mops, otherwise known as salad, nearly killed me.

Yes, too many people mistake salad for "healthy food" and then wonder why they haven't lost anything. It's the dressing. I say, if you're going to have a thousand calorie meal, put down the salad fork and grab a twice-grilled burrito from El Pollo Loco. Guess which one will be more filling?

[Chernabog]

I know my roommate has been spouting stuff about corn syrup for a while, but can someone here link to an actual study of how it affects your Glycemic Index or insulin levels or whatever as opposed to cane sugar?

To me, sodas with cane sugar taste different and better. But they're a once-in-a-while treat, like eating a candy bar (the month of December being an exception). I *might* have a regular soda or two per month (actually, I had my two at Mousepod's pad on Saturday). But that's it. Sugar is sugar. Eat less sugar and calories, take more exercise (35-45 minutes four times per week of CONTINUOUS cardio, meaning, you ARE sweating a lot), and unless you have a medical condition happening your body will get more into shape.

I agree about the salad thing -- the best for salads is to have balsamic vinegar (*not* balsamic vinegarette, which has oil in it). But yeah, if you're going to drown your salad in full-fat ranch dressing, you're almost better off eating a cheeseburger (both of which are terrible for you).

But the hardest part (like everything in life) is consistency and maintenance. Food is a big comfort for me personally, especially when I'm anxious, bored or depressed (and I am those things on a regular basis). Trying to shut my mouth when there's food right in front of me is really REALLY hard and a lot of times I just give in.

I don't know, is blaming corn syrup an excuse? There's an obesity epidemic AND there's a lot of people hitting the gym this month who look like they're in pretty good shape to me...

[Sohrshah]

Originally Posted by Morrigoon

Yes, too many people mistake salad for "healthy food" and then wonder why they haven't lost anything. It's the dressing. I say, if you're going to have a thousand calorie meal, put down the salad fork and grab a twice-grilled burrito from El Pollo Loco. Guess which one will be more filling?

There is a place called Saladworks that's been popping up, and I took a look at their nutrition information. Most salads were on the order of 500 calories apiece! So are standard Jamba Juice portions. Calories are still calories. the best we can do is to lower our caloric intake and try to eat foods that are as natural as possible, without causing MORE stress by worrying too much about it. Stress is far worse for you than HFCS!

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by Chernabog

I But yeah, if you're going to drown your salad in full-fat ranch dressing, you're almost better off eating a cheeseburger (both of which are terrible for you).

Actually, neither of them is terrible for you if you're eating in moderation.

[Morrigoon]

Part of portion control is learning to eat things which will make you feel full so you don't feel compelled to eat as much of it. For that reason, going with full-fat, rich foods (or in this case, sugar over HFCS) aids in that quest for moderation by contributing to a sense of satisfaction with what you have eaten. The other side of the coin is the consumer having the wherewithal to stop at that point.

[Morrigoon]

Originally Posted by katiesue

I'm too lazy to look but my understanding is that HFCS is heavily subsidized which is why it's so cheap and why it gets put into so much stuff it shouldn't.

Link

Due to federal agribusiness subsidies, every dollar of profits earned by ADM's corn sweetener operation costs consumers $10. Of the $113.6 billion in taxpayer commodity subsidy payments distributed by the USDA between 1995 and 2004, corn drew $41.8 billion -- more than cotton, soy, and rice combined. What's wrong with this picture?

(Admittedly that page is a little... biased. But it provided a handy quote)

[Sohrshah]

Originally Posted by Chernabog

I know my roommate has been spouting stuff about corn syrup for a while, but can someone here link to an actual study of how it affects your Glycemic Index or insulin levels or whatever as opposed to cane sugar?

To me, sodas with cane sugar taste different and better. But they're a once-in-a-while treat, like eating a candy bar (the month of December being an exception). I *might* have a regular soda or two per month (actually, I had my two at Mousepod's pad on Saturday). But that's it. Sugar is sugar. Eat less sugar and calories, take more exercise (35-45 minutes four times per week of CONTINUOUS cardio, meaning, you ARE sweating a lot), and unless you have a medical condition happening your body will get more into shape.

I agree about the salad thing -- the best for salads is to have balsamic vinegar (*not* balsamic vinegarette, which has oil in it). But yeah, if you're going to drown your salad in full-fat ranch dressing, you're almost better off eating a cheeseburger (both of which are terrible for you).

But the hardest part (like everything in life) is consistency and maintenance. Food is a big comfort for me personally, especially when I'm anxious, bored or depressed (and I am those things on a regular basis). Trying to shut my mouth when there's food right in front of me is really REALLY hard and a lot of times I just give in.

I don't know, is blaming corn syrup an excuse? There's an obesity epidemic AND there's a lot of people hitting the gym this month who look like they're in pretty good shape to me...

You make a really good point. This thread is about HFCS, and we all love to talk about how evil it is, but in the end, moving ones' butt and cutting the calories is the key to health and weightloss. Being aware of the dangers of highly processed foods which contain unecessary ingredients IS important to our overall health, and I do feel that HFCS has had a negative impact, but I think that portion distortion, the sedentary lifestyle of the computer age, and an overall increase in depression and unhappiness has affected America's waistline far more than beet-based sweetener versus cane sugar-based sweetner.