Hfcs??

[peaceful_mama]

I'm sort of confused. I've been avoiding this for awhile now, by several sources.
Then I read a site that said places like GB and Mexico do not have HFCS in their foods like we do, yet they still have the same obesity rates. And that HFCS is basically not higher in calories or "sweetness" than reg. sugar.

I also notice that where it's in high amounts, it's a "food better avoided" anyway (like Coke)

Remind me again why I was so adamantly avoiding HFCS...even in little amounts in a bread, for example, that has less grams of sugar than a "regular sugar sweetened' alternative.

[Magelet]

Because it has mercury in it?
Because its made from GMO and pesticide/herbicide/other chemical crap filled corn? (I suspect there is a good reason why organic ketchup is the only ketchup without corn syrup)
Because free fructose (prevalent in HFCS) (and as compared to fructose bound to other sugars as found in other foods) can interfere with proper absorbtion and use of minerals in your body?
That's just a few reasons. I know there are a lot more.

[dogmom327]

Because anything that highly processed no longer qualifies as a food (your body doesn't recognize it as such).

[vbactivist]

I don't have an answer for your specific question, but the rule of thumb I try to follow is if I couldn't grow it, or make it in my own kitchen, then we don't eat it. For example, I can't partiallyhydrogenate oils in my kitchen so we avoid those. If conditions were right, Icould grow an avacodo, so we eat those... HTH

[peaceful_mama]

Thanks I had basically started out of hearing it was related to the high rate of obesity and diabetes...my kids have a high enough risk of diabetes genetically.

Now here is another question--the corn syrup (Karo) our grandmas used, similar or different? To be avoided? (thought of this after inheriting and not using a bottle of it...)

[Magelet]

not quite as bad as high fructose, but also to be avoided, for sure.
it's still a very very highly processed sugar, it's still made from gmo corn, its still very bad for you.

Now, I wouldn't nessicarily say "gee, mom's pie has corn syrup in it, I'm not going to eat her pie at thanksgiving" but I certainly wouldn't cook with it. there are plenty of wonderful sweetners that are much more natural, less refined, and contain minerals that help your body deal with the sugar better. You could use maple syrup, honey, molasses, depending on the use, and have that be just fine. (I'd say maple syrup is probably usually the closest)

[Storm Bride]

I do use corn syrup (actually, it's called "golden syrup" and is based on white sugar) for pecan pies. For a couple of other recipes that use "syrup", I use molasses. In some recipes, I use maple syrup, but it's also the most expensive option, so I generally use molasses (which is the cheapest).