Something is trying to kill you. 

Right now. 

As you sit there reading this.

It’s inside you, and it’s doing things to you that terrorists might not even do.  Before going on, join me for a little exercise.  I want you to get up and go to your kitchen.  Go to your refrigerator, or your pantry, or any combination of the two.  Grab 5 packaged food items.  I don’t care what they are.  Now bring them back here.

Go on.  I’ll be waiting.

Back?  Good.  Now I’d like you to look at the ingredients.  Do you see the black magic words?  The words are “High Fructose Corn Syrup”.  Chances are good, every single one of them has it.  And it’s a murderer. 

That’s right, High Fructose Corn Syrup is slowly killing you, one cheese puff at a time.

“But..but..but..” you stammer “seems like EVERYTHING has HFCS in it!!!”. 

Damn right. 

That’s because it’s one of the most highly concentrated, super cheap, ultra-mutant sweeteners the food industry has ever unleashed.  It’s here to stay, and if you want to live a healthier, longer life, you need to purge it from your diet.

WHAT HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP IS

High Fructose Corn Syrup, or “HFCS” is, you guessed it, a sugar substitute made from corn starch.  The “High Fructose” part of the name implies a fructose level of up to 80%.  Compare that to the 50% found in fruit.  What’s the big deal?

The San Franscisco Chronicle, in an article titled Sugar Coated summed up the danger perfectly:

“The theory goes like this: The body processes the fructose in high fructose corn syrup differently than it does old-fashioned cane or beet sugar, which in turn alters the way metabolic-regulating hormones function. It also forces the liver to kick more fat out into the bloodstream.

The end result is that our bodies are essentially tricked into wanting to eat more and at the same time, we are storing more fat.”

Obviously, this is less than ideal.  Especially for anyone wishing to maintain a healthy body.  There is only one way to limit the risk.  Reduce, or ideally, eliminate your HFCS intake.  But it’s not just about a fat gut:  

Some health risks potentially tied to High Fructose Corn Syrup:

  1. Obesity
  2. Liver damage (very similar to the effects of alcohol induced cirrhosis), especially in men
  3. Acceleration of bone loss
  4. Increased levels of insulin
  5. Increased heart disease risk (due to higher plasma triacylglycerols created)
  6. Anemia
  7. High Cholesterol
  8. Impaired testicular development

How Can I Avoid HFCS?

  1. Read the labels.  By law, ingredient lists must indicate if HFCS is present
  2. Consider organic.  I used to find it difficult to buy bread that didn’t have HFCS.. and then out of desperation checked the organic section of my supermarket.  Not only was it HFCS free, but it proudly stated this fact on the front of the bag.

Whatever it takes, do what you can to limit your HFCS intake.  Your liver, heart, bones, body and loved ones will all thank you for it.

Additional info:

The Murky World of High Fructose Corn Syrup

Sweet But Not So Innocent