An Artificial Sweetener & Its Impact On Our Health
Did you know that many Americans consume one specific health damaging syrup every day? We often eat foods without really thinking about the ingredients, more specifically the sugars they contain and the harm they can cause. Almost every food children and even adults intake daily contains a processed sugar called High Fructose Corn Syrup. Wendell Berry states, “And they mostly ignore certain critical questions about the quality and cost of what they are sold: How fresh is it? How pure or clean is it, how free of dangerous chemicals?” (The Pleasures of Eating, pg. 98). I do agree with Berry, when purchasing foods most do not check the nutritional information or even think about what they are buying to feed their families. Sugars are in almost everything we eat.
HFCS syrup may not sound like much to you but if you do research you would find out what High Fructose Corn Syrup actually is and how it became popular in the United States, what foods this syrup is found in and what this syrup does to your mind and body. To start, HFCS is an artificial sweetener created from glucose. HFCS become popular in the 70’s due to the prices being cheaper and the sugar being easier to handle. It was first marketed by the Clinton Corn Processing Company.
This syrup is now being used in all sorts of foods that many of us consume every day and often consume in multiple meals a day. Secondly, take a look at the ingredients of the foods you eat. You will most likely see that sodas, frozen food and even salad dressings contain HFCS and that is to just name a few. For example, you may think you are grabbing a healthier and quick breakfast but cereals, breakfast bars, yogurts, and apple sauce contain levels of HFCS. It can be shocking knowing that so many foods you in-take or feed your children contain such a health damaging ingredient. Try not to consume more than 10 teaspoons of sugar per day.
These sweeteners hide everywhere, in order to stay healthy and prevent sickness and diseases, it is important to always check your nutritional information first. (Health article, High Fructose Corn Syrup). Lastly, not only is high fructose corn syrup sneaky it is very life threatening. While the syrup may not be worse than any other sugar, both lead to major health concerns such as diabetes and weight gain. Children as well as adults are becoming more obese and overweight, not realizing that it is happening due to the foods they are in taking on a daily basis because of all of what the processed foods contain.
In the article, What is high fructose corn syrup and is it bad for you? Dr. Edward states “HFCS doesn’t just make your body fat; it can also make your heart fat which is commonly known as arterial plaque buildup. This can lead to heart problems such as hypertension, heart disease and strokes.” Not only can it cause heart problems, it will also damage the liver. The syrup can destroy the liver’s ability to eliminate toxins and over time can lead to fatty liver disease. There are so many other health issues this one simple syrup can cause and many ways to prevent it from happening. If you didn’t know, HFCS contains high levels of mercury that can cause irreversible damage to the brain and nervous system which happens more often in young, growing bodies. (Dr. Edward. Global Healing Center). One factor leads to another, and it could possibly all lead up to all of the bad ingredients in our foods.
In conclusion, it is not just HFCS that is damaging, but all sugars. Many companies use this sugar today due to being cheaper and easier to incorporate in their products. Eating less processed and frozen foods and more locally grown, home cooked meals would better the health of us and our families. Sugars are found in many foods we have in our pantries and refrigerator such as pancakes, crackers, bread, dairy products and peanut butter. We do not want to suffer from obesity, heart disease, hypertension, strokes or any life threatening disease for that matter so eliminating these foods would be a good start. A healthier diet contributes to a healthier life, and it is up to you to make sure what you are feeding yourself and your children will enhance them in the days ahead.
