Fitness Together Georgia

You might have noticed a new commercial to lighten the tarnished image of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). If you’re not familiar with it, let me give you the gist of the commercial.

Two women are at a party. One of them is pouring what looks to be some sort of fruit punch into a glass. The other one calls out to her in a non-approving tone (paraphrasing), “that’s got high fructose corn syrup in it!” The woman pouring says, “so, like with everything it’s okay in moderation and it’s no worse than table sugar.” Then the ad proceeds to lead you to a website called Sweetsurprise.com.

On the website, it continues to explain that the dangers of HFCS is no worse than table sugar. It explains that the physiological breakdown between the two are not any different. Similar to the lady pouring the juice in the ad, my response is… “so…”

I couldn’t agree more that just about anything is okay in moderation. Question is, what is moderation? I also agree that table sugar is no better than HFCS. However, this diverts from the real issue that Americans are over-consumers of HFCS. As a whole, we do not consume it in moderation. It’s no wonder, because it’s in everything from juice, to snack cakes, and protein bars. Just because HFCS no worse than table sugar doesn’t mean it’s okay. However, let’s be real about it, the aim of the ad is to make you feel that it’s okay to continue to buy HFCS laden foods.

Now one may ask, “why is HFCS in so many products?” The answer is simple. It’s cheap and easy to mass produce in a timely manner. Table sugar, which comes from sugar cane, requires more time, has less yield, and requires warmer environmental conditions. Corn is easy. We can grow at an even faster rate than before through genetic engineering. The real reason though, the market likes sweet stuff. The sweeter something is, the more likely you are to buy it again (the greater the addiction).

When you dig a little deeper, you will notice that the ad and website is funded by no other than the corn lobby itself, The Corn Refiners Association. I can’t blame them for running the ad. HFCS has been getting a lot of bad publicity. With the recent report of obesity rates going up in 28 states, there is no question that you have to take a deeper look at what you eat. HFCS is not the only thing you have to watch.

Any product that comes in a cardboard box or plastic wrapper is bound to have too much sugar (in any form), fat, sodium, and/or preservatives. At the end of the day, no matter how sweet the ads from the corn lobby may be, the statistics aren’t so sweet.

written by
Kelly Huggins
Exercise Science, B.S.
Fitness and Nutrition Coach
Fitness Together North Buckhead
Men’s Health Examiner writer

written by
Kelly Huggins
Exercise Science, B.S.
Fitness and Nutrition Coach
Fitness Together North Buckhead
Men’s Health Examiner writer