I think what bothers me the most about these commercials - among many things - is that there are people out there (and these are the people they prey on!) who will see it and believe it. Hey, great! High fructose corn syrup is fine, nothing to worry about. We just have to eat it in moderation.
The truth is, it is not fine. High fructose corn syrup is a highly processed, chemically and genetically modified non-food. It is an ARTIFICIAL sweetener. It goes directly to your liver, and releases enzymes that tell your body to store fat. It can elevate triglyceride levels and cholesterol levels. It tricks your body into thinking you are still hungry, and can lead to over-consumption, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. It can also cause:
Lower IQ
Learning difficulties
Anxiety
Depression
Fatigue
Aggression
Premenstrual syndrome
Accelerated bone loss
Insulin resistance
High blood pressure
And guess what? If you're not reading labels and making a conscious effort to avoid it, you are most definitely NOT eating it in moderation. If you buy most traditionally processed and packaged crackers, cereals, juices, syrups, cookies, spaghetti sauces, salad dressings, ketchup, yogurt, and just about every other processed food, you are eating high fructose corn syrup, and in vast quantities.
The good news is that it can be avoided! Our kitchen is HFCS-free. Buy more fresh foods and shop the perimeter of the grocery store. If you do buy something boxed or processed, read the label. Read the label, read the label, read the label. There are a growing number of great brands out there that do not use it. Will you pay a little more? In most cases, yes. Is it worth it? YES.
And finally, here's a cute little rebuttal I found, and wanted to share. It's great to see that people are keeping their kids informed too.
