Food Myths etc...
Working in a gourmet food store, I hear the whole gamut of health - food advice. I usually just smile and say something to the effect, "you don't say," but I get tired of hearing the same thing day in and day out about food/health (who wouldn't no?) and usually in the context of a person sampling our food but not buying a thing. Today, I was surfing the web and came upon this gem of a factoid that I'm now going to use when people annoy me. This comes from Eating Well Magazine (http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/6-biggest-lies-about-food-busted-2391419),
Myth: High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is worse for you than sugar.
The Truth: The idea that high-fructose corn syrup is any more harmful to your health than sugar is “one of those urban myths that sounds right but is basically wrong,” according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a health advocacy group. The composition of high-fructose corn syrup is almost identical to table sugar or sucrose (55 percent fructose, 45 percent glucose and 50:50, respectively). Calorie-wise, HFCS is a dead ringer for sucrose. Studies show that HFCS and sucrose have very similar effects on blood levels of insulin, glucose, triglycerides and satiety hormones. In short, it seems to be no worse—but also no better—than sucrose, or table sugar. This controversy, say researchers, is distracting us from the more important issue: we’re eating too much of all sorts of sugars, from HFCS and sucrose to honey and molasses. The American Heart Association recently recommended that women consume no more than 100 calories a day in added sugars [6 teaspoons]; men, 150 calories [9 teaspoons].
The Truth: The idea that high-fructose corn syrup is any more harmful to your health than sugar is “one of those urban myths that sounds right but is basically wrong,” according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a health advocacy group. The composition of high-fructose corn syrup is almost identical to table sugar or sucrose (55 percent fructose, 45 percent glucose and 50:50, respectively). Calorie-wise, HFCS is a dead ringer for sucrose. Studies show that HFCS and sucrose have very similar effects on blood levels of insulin, glucose, triglycerides and satiety hormones. In short, it seems to be no worse—but also no better—than sucrose, or table sugar. This controversy, say researchers, is distracting us from the more important issue: we’re eating too much of all sorts of sugars, from HFCS and sucrose to honey and molasses. The American Heart Association recently recommended that women consume no more than 100 calories a day in added sugars [6 teaspoons]; men, 150 calories [9 teaspoons].
Ha ha, I can't wait to track this out : ) What food myths are you sick of hearing from people and wish to debunk??
I'm adding this clip from Youtube for a good Monday morning laugh. Its Stephen Colbert testifying on Capital Hill. I love it! He stays in character but delivers his message, too bad many congressman have no sense of humor and sense of fighting injustice against those most vulnerable.
posted by Virginia Gal @ 1:10 AM
4 Comments:
I'm not sure there is complete agreement about the issue:
"According to a recently published Princeton study, rats fed a diet rich in HFCS accumulated more belly fat and had higher levels of circulating triglycerides (i.e., fat) -- both of which are factors in metabolic syndrome, a precursor to heart disease -- than their sugar-fed peers."
Whether or not that is replicated, it's probably a good idea to avoid processed foods as much as possible,.
How can you NOT love Stephen Colbert?
He is my son's idol & I didn't even know he was testifying.
Thanks for sharing it!
Secret Agent - that is true, I should avoid processed foods at this point : )
ExpressMom - welcome! Yes exactly how can you not love him?! He is brilliant!
Colbert is a fool--for a living--and Congress gets what it deserves when it brings in celebs to chat on serious topics. But, that aside, all food can make you fat, organic or processed, if you eat too much. It's really shocking the number of people who don't realize that Death by Chocolate is not a health food.
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