By Randall Grey
There are so many products in our cupboards and refrigerators today that contain High Fructose Corn Syrup. If you were to look at the ingredients of the products which are in your cupboard or refrigerator right now, you will find an ingredient called High Fructose Corn Syrup. Just in my home alone, I found it in the cereals, canned vegetables, ice creams, some of the dips, salad dressings, mayonnaise, jams and jellies, sodas, frostings, pie fillings, flavored waters and also in some of the sauces.
After looking at all the food items consumed daily, almost every thing in every meal, contains High Fructose Corn Syrup. And just think, these are just in the products in our own homes that contain this substitute additive. Now, imagine how much of this substitute food additive is in foods we eat in restaurants.
What is this food additive ”“ (HFCS) High Fructose Corn Syrup? High Fructose Corn Syrup is a “cost-effective” manmade sugar supplement. One of the most hazardous chemicals that stems from HFCS is mercury. The average consumption of HFCS by Americans is 37.8 pounds a year.
In the 1970”'s HFCS was introduced into foods. With all the tests that were performed on HFCS, it showed to have one major side-effect ”“ obesity. As of today, the USA is one of the few countries that allow HFCS in food products. The USA is also the leading country for those individuals with obesity.
Within HFCS, there is mercury. Do you know what effects mercury has on the human body? Mercury is the chemical used to help break down the corn to make HFCS, along with glutaraldehyde. Glutaraldehyde is so toxic it can burn a hole in your stomach. HFCS causes severe ulcers, sexual dysfunction, neurological disorders, loss of hair, teeth and nails as well as muscle weakness, loss of kidney function, emotional mood swings and memory impairment.  Knowing these facts, how many products are in your refrigerator or cupboards that include HFCS?
A little fact about HFCS is that in 1984 when Coke and Pepsi first started putting this sugar additive in their products; production was at about 3 million short tons a year. Production rose up to 8 million short tons within a decade. Along with this, the obesity boom fatted up. And aspartame (another sugar supplement) is not a diet supplement that should be used within diet products ”“ it actually has the reverse effect.
Shopping through the grocery stores, I would examine the contents of products. I realized there wasn”'t a meal I ate that didn”'t contain HFCS. I knew I had to make a change in my diet. I was gaining weight, my stomach wrenched, having short term memory loss and some sexual impairments. By removing products with HFCS from my diet, there has been a drastic change within the first week. No more upset stomach, no more erectile dysfunction and my weight hasn”'t increased.
My partner and I have decided to make the change in our diets to better ourselves and our health. Since we have made this change in our diet, we have also changed in the way we shop ”“ and where we shop. We got so tired of reading labels in any of the major grocery stores. Since we now only shop at any of the Co-ops – especially the Seward Co-op, we have noticed a huge change within our bodies.
If you are on a diet and have issues with seeing the results you are expecting”¦why not try eliminating the chemicals that are not healthy for your body. Make an informed choice on what you put into your body, not what major corporations want you to believe.