High Fructose Corn Syrup Essay

The past fifty years has seen a spike in the consumption of sugar, that number totaling a tripling increase. However, sugar is not the only risk factor here, alcohol and tobacco can also be attributed with the spike, albeit not as prevalent as sugar. The biggest question that Lustig et al. poses to its’ readers is this: “What aspects of the Western diet should be the focus of intervention”? (par. 3) The current USDA has been deemed “boogeymen” of diets, as well as the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Lustig et al. all believe that our attention should be turned towards “added sugar”, which is a sweetener that has fructose in it. Perhaps the biggest controversy from the past fifty years has been none other than a severe culprit that experts know as high fructose corn syrup or HFCS.

We eat every day, rarely thinking about what’s going into our bodies. Take soda, for example, when was the last time you read the label before taking a sip? For me, it is never. One of the first ingredients listed on the can is HFCS or high fructose corn syrup. This ingredient is a secret additive to many products in today's market. High Fructose Corn Syrup is one of the cheapest to make and hardest to get rid of in the body. Since its introduction to food products in the 70's it has slowly been added to most foods, even ketchup.

Another culprit of the impact of the bones is the phosphoric acid in cola. When a person takes

High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is an inexpensive syrup created by changing about half of the particles comprising corn starch into fructose. Due to the cheapness of HFCS it has replaced natural sugars in most of the food consumed in America. Resulting in HFCS being found in just about all processed foods made today. Consuming any kind of sweetener has shown to greatly increase the chances of obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol and metabolic syndrome (Zeratsky, 2015). Since the invention of HFCS American obesity rates went from fifteen percent of the population to around one third of the population suggesting a strong

Of late, there has been renewed interest in the influence of acid-base balance on bone metabolism and the development of osteoporosis. The acid-ash hypothesis suggests that diets that are high in "acid-ash"(i.e. acid-forming) components(including dietary protein, phosphorus, and chlorine) and low in base-forming components(including fruits and vegetables, potassium, and calcium) generate acidic byproducts. To neutralize excess acid and prevent systemic acidosis, bone mineral is dissolved, bicarbonate is released, and calcium is expelled in urine, accelerating the development of osteoporosis. The "alkaline diet" encourages the consumption of base-forming foods and has been promoted as an effective method of reducing the risk of osteoporosis (WebMD 2013).

Abstract: The use of high fructose corn syrup as a sweetener in various food and drink products has drastically affected the American people in the last three decades. Dominating 55% of the sweetener market because of its industrial benefits, HFCS’s increased use has caused dramatic effects in its consumers, including upsetting normal hormonal functions, destroying vital organs, nerves, and throwing off the body’s mineral balance. As the use of HFCS increased, the rates of obesity, diabetes, and related health problems have escalated, resulting in a nationwide epidemic.

Thesis As I said earlier high fructose corn syrup is commonly used for a cheaper sugar substitute. But government subtitles aren't the only price we are paying. Fructose corn syrup is much more fattening than sugar. Michael pollen states in omnivore's dilemma that “Kids in the us today may turn out to be the first group of Americans with life spans that are shorter than their parents.” This important because fructose corn syrup is part of that. If we keep eating the way we do things are not going to go well. Already “momently 17% of children and teenagers are obese in 2015b compared to 5% back in the 1970s”. If we keep eating way it could lead to debits heart problems and more food policies need to be change so there is not even a possibility of choosing colorful high fructose corn slurp over an apple

High fructose corn syrup is one of the main causes of the rise in obesity rates in america. In Michael Pollan's book The Omnivore's Dilemma he writes “National health and nutrition examination survey results from 1976 to 2006 show an alarming increase in the percentage of obese children ages 6-19” pg.92, This is especially important because along with obesity means risks of diabetes, heart disease, shorter life span, and many other unpleasant things. Michael Pollan also writes “every year approximately 500 million bushels of corn are turned into hfcs. One bushel of corn yields 33 pounds of hfcs, that's more than 16 billion pounds of hfcs a year” pg.93. Which is a lot of high fructose corn syrup that is being manufactured and

Pollan states, “In the United States most of the corn we consume is invisible, having been heavily processed or passed through food animals before it reaches us. Most of the animals we eat (chickens, pigs and cows) today subsist on a diet of corn, regardless of whether it is good for them” (pollan 1). Food companies hide all of these corn products in the food and drinks as sweeteners and syrups. The livestock eat a corn diet, which isn’t good for them, forcing us to give them antibiotics so they don’t get sick. We then eat these livestock that are drugged and full of corn. The most successful way we’ve found to sneak it into our food and drinks is through high-fructose corn syrup. This is a substitute for sugars and is extremely cheap. It’s so cheap that majority of snack and drink companies use it to save money and increase profit. Pollan says, “Nearly 10 percent of the calories Americans consume now come from corn sweeteners; the figure is 20 percent for many children” (Pollan 2). We eat these foods and drink these drinks and expect us to be fine. “A recent study at the University of Minnesota found that a diet high in fructose (as compared to glucose) elevates triglyceride levels in men shortly after eating, a phenomenon that has been linked to an increased risk of obesity and heart disease” (Pollan 2). The food companies are feeding

Sweetener made from corn starch that has been processed by glucose isomerase to convert some of its glucose into fructose.

Because of this Americans now eat 523 extra calories, and on average about 76 of those calories will come exclusively from the new sugars and sweeteners like HFCS. But the reason for this large increase in sugar intake is most likely because of the foods that it’s put in. The foods that HFCS is in are not food that people would associate sweetness with such as ketchup or bread (pbs.com). Apart from comparisons between HFCS and table sugar, there is evidence that the overconsumption of added sugar in any form, including HFCS, is a major health problem, especially for onset of obesity. Consuming added sugars, particularly as sweetened soft drinks, is strongly linked to weight gain. The World Health Organization has recommended that people limit their consumption of added sugars to 10% of calories, but experts say that typical consumption of empty calories in the United States is nearly twice that

This research essay will investigate the effects of High Fructose Corn Syrup. The liver is effected because the fructose—as it is being metabolized deposits fatty acids into the liver, it also develops cirrhosis, which has the same effect normally seen in alcoholics. High Fructose Corn Syrup increases cholesterol which blocks the inner walls of the arteries and may be fatal if not treated. High Fructose Corn Syrup was believed to be beneficial to diabetics, but studies show the they may actually promote more diseases. Obesity is a major problem, as High Fructose Corn Syrup does not release leptin—which is what signals the brain to stop eating, so society is prone to over consumption. It also alters the heart's use of other

Pollan states that energy-dense foods are the cheapest on the market. For example, one dollar can either buy 1,200 calories of potato chips/cookies or 250 calories of carrots. One dollar can also buy either 875 calories of soda or 170 calories of juice. Most people opt for the first options because you get more calories for your money. This is the reason the daily intake of calories has jumped ten percent and all of these extra calories can be traced back to the farm. Corn has become a product in many of the things we eat. In 1980, corn, or rather high-fructose corn syrup, became an ingredient in Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola had clever marketing when they changed their eight ounce bottles to twenty ounces to get people to pay a little more for a larger amount of coke. Because of this, consumption of sugars has grown from 128 pounds to 158 pounds per person. If corn had never been put in Coca-Cola would we be healthier today? Would our consumption of sugars be lower? This chapter led me to think more about why people choose to eat the things they do and made me realize that these less nutritious foods have a big impact on us in the long run.

“High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), it is harmful!” My friends said. “We should stay away from HFCS.” When we had a lunch in a fast food restaurant, my friend picked up a packet of ketchup, HFCS is the first ingredient in its recipe. Meanwhile, another friend picked up a can of Coke, HFCS still appeared. Similarly, when I picked up a packet of sweet sauce, HFCS was still there. Almost everything included HFCS, which is the first ingredient in their recipe. HFCS appears everywhere. It seems that HFCS nowadays takes over almost kinds of foods and drinks.

In this speech I will be focusing on three main questions of, do carbonated beverages affect your bone health? / How does phosphoric acid affect your absorption of calcium? can drinking soda leaf to cancer? , how does the sugar found in soda affect your body over time?,is your bone health affected by the simple replacement of high calcium? .