Letter: How high fructose corn syrup may be beneficial

Thursday, November 6, 2008

The Nov. 5 article “Increasing obesity — in moderation” may mislead consumers about high fructose corn syrup.

High fructose corn syrup, sugar and several fruit juices are all nutritionally the same.

High fructose corn syrup has the same number of calories as sugar and is handled similarly by the body.

High fructose corn syrup offers numerous benefits. It keeps food fresh, enhances fruit and spice flavors, retains moisture in bran cereals, helps keep breakfast and energy bars moist, maintains consistent flavors in beverages and keeps ingredients evenly dispersed in condiments.

The American Medical Association in June 2008 helped put to rest misunderstandings about this sweetener and obesity, stating that “high fructose corn syrup does not appear to contribute to obesity more than other caloric sweeteners.”

In 1983, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration formally listed high fructose corn syrup as safe for use in food and reaffirmed that decision in 1996.

Consumers can see the latest research and learn more about high fructose corn syrup at www.HFCSfacts.com and www.SweetSurprise.com.

— — Audrae Erickson, president of the Corn Refiners Association

Comments

juniper08 (anonymous) says...

It's also unnatural and no one is sure of what kind of long term health risks it could create.

It's also found in almost everything sweet nowadays, which means we're not eating it in moderation like we're supposed to.

November 7, 2008 at 1:22 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

hardcastle (anonymous) says...

The only "sweet surprise" about HFCS is that it is in almost everything you eat - which sort of defeats the safety net slogan of "well, just eat it in moderation."

I think it's very telling that everyone knows in their heart - or perhaps their stomach? - that HFCS is not good for you, and that there's a huge backlash against promoting it as such, or equal to natural products. When it comes down to it, nothing that refined is good for you, and while all sweeteners go through refining nowadays, it's undeniable that HFCS goes through the most.

Point is, the entirety of the western diet and everything involved in it - from the soil to the products that end up on your dinner table - has gotten so unbelievably messed up, and it's just horribly depressing that rather than try to rectify these problems, organizations like the Corn Refiner's Association are instead pumping money into ad campaigns to clean up the image of a ridiculously artificial and harmful product.

November 7, 2008 at 4:49 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

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