HFCS: Sweet surprise?
September 4, 2008
So many people have sent me the link to the Corn Refiners’ Association website extolling the virtues of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) that I thought you had best not miss it. OK, so lots of people think HFCS is the new trans-fat. It isn’t, but is insulting your intelligence an effective way to deal with that concern? It’s hard to know what on the website is most offensive: the videos of dumb people being condescended to by friends who think they know better (and what’s up with the race and gender combinations?), the slogans (“HFCS has no artificial ingredients and is the same as table sugar”), the quiz questions (“which of the following sweeteners is considered a natural food ingredient: HFCS, honey, sugar, or all of the above”), or the take home message: “As registered dietitians recommend, keep enjoying the foods you love, just do it in moderation.”
Let’s agree that HFCS has an enormous public relations problem and is widely misunderstood. Biochemically, it is about the same as table sugar (both have about the same amount of fructose and calories), but it is in everything and Americans eat a lot of it—nearly 60 pounds per capita in 2006, just a bit less than pounds of table sugar. HFCS is not a poison, but eating less of any kind of sugar is a good idea these days and anything that promotes eating more is not.
According to SourceWatch, this website is part of a $20 to $30 million campaign to make you stop thinking there is something evil about HFCS. Are you convinced? If the essence of public relations is to get attention - and there is no such thing as bad publicity - they got it with this website.
And thanks to my colleague Andy Bellatti who points out that another website run by the Corn Refiners provides a disclaimer: “Materials on this site are provided for informational purposes only, do not constitute legal advice and are not guaranteed to be complete, correct or up-to-date.” Oh. Maybe that explains it.
The disclaimer did make me chuckle.
I still want to know why we need to add sweet to seemingly everything. Whether we add HFCS or white sugar or honey or whatever, do we really need manufacturers to add sweetener as a major ingredient to things such as tomato sauce? I certainly do not add sugar to these things when I make them from scratch at home.
Comment by Sheila — September 4, 2008 @ 7:31 pm
““As registered dietitians recommend, keep enjoying the foods you love, just do it in moderation.””
But why is it that people who consume HFCS CAN’T do it in moderating?! (Hey, that applied to me 10 years ago!)
Comment by Jack at F&B — September 4, 2008 @ 7:53 pm
Yes, I am convinced that HFCS isn’t evil and I haven’t really taken a look at the website. We all know that “natural” is meaningless, as far as I know Vaseline® is natural, seems harmless enough anyway. HFCS is just a sweetener. Yes, it’s processed, so is sugar from beets and maple syrup.
Government subsidies for corn (soy, sorghum, feed grains, meat, dairy, eggs and fishing) should cease. This is entirely fair. Let’s have the actual costs of all foods reflected at purchase.
HFCS is not in everything. Maybe it is in everything some (most?) Americans eat, but it is trivial to avoid eating HFCS if even a fraction of someone’s attention is used to plan a decent diet of whatever inclination.
Comment by Hylton — September 4, 2008 @ 8:02 pm
““As registered dietitians recommend, keep enjoying the foods you love, just do it in moderation.””
There are some pretty awful foods out there Less HFCS and other added sugars is a great way to make your diet more healthful. I wish the ADA Amer.Diet.Assoc. would learn how to use the word “less”. That’s right. They’re partners with a soda company.
If you need to process it in a lab with enzymes and it is a highly intensive process, I myself wouldn’t deem that “natural”. Though HFCS is pretty much like “sugar”.
Less added sugar.
Comment by Daniel Ithaca, NY — September 4, 2008 @ 8:46 pm
great points by Sheila and Hylton
added sweeteners in so many things! Tomato sauce? Peanut butter?
in ~6years with the next Farm Bill, let’s drop the subsidies, enough of the corporate welfare already!
Comment by Daniel Ithaca, NY — September 4, 2008 @ 8:50 pm
I saw a TV commercial for HFCS & my jaw hit the floor. It was on prime time and showed the same offensive type situation you mentioned (African-American woman pouring her child a Kool-Aid type beverage & white woman telling her it contained HFCS). Unbelievable.
Like you said, HFCS is not horrible in and of itself — it’s just that it’s found in highly-processed foods and it so widespread…
Comment by Andrea — September 5, 2008 @ 5:21 pm
I think we’ll learn in the hopefully not so distant future that the way HFCS is metabolized in your body is what makes it different than other sugars. Common sense tells me that this stuff is a huge player in the obesity epidemic…party because it’s in everything and partly because of the way it’s metabolized…more research yes, but it doesn’t make a lick of a difference to me…I don’t touch the evil stuff and I limit my sugar intake as well. No ring of fat around my belly. The other 17 members of my extended family from ages 2-90 don’t touch it either and every single one is at a normal, healthy weight. Not much of a study, but it seems to be working for us.
Comment by Kami Gray — September 8, 2008 @ 7:10 pm
[…] jour spotlight…but as distinguished author, speaker, and food policy queen Marion Nestle says in her blog,“OK, so lots of people think HFCS is the new trans-fat. It isn’t, but is insulting your […]
Pingback by Shaping Youth » HFCS Corn Wars: A Surprise That’s Far from Sweet — September 8, 2008 @ 11:00 pm
I just saw a full page ad in The Washington Post “Registered Dietitians agree that HFCS is the same as table sugar and can be enjoyed in moderation.”
As a communications expert and future dietitian, this bothers me. While the statement is not false, I think it uses dietitians as a way to position HFCS as recommended or even healthy and that’s dangerous for the field.
What is “moderation” anyway? It’s subjective. A young, active athlete has a lot more room for “moderation” than a sedentary 40-year-old female.
White sugar is refined, just like HFCS. The first thing a dietitian is going to do is ask a person to add healthy fruits, vegetables, and grains to their meals and replace them with junk foods of poor nutrition quality -processed sugary and sweet foods - most of the stuff the CRA is promoting as “enjoy in moderation” foods.
I think this is an excellent PR ad. If I had this assignment in grad school, I would use this same approach. But it is not good for the reputation of dietitians. As some other commenters have indicated it leaves the perception that dietitians are “in bed” with food companies. Perception is reality. Just like HFCS is perceived as unnatural or even poison dietitians could be perceived as thoughtless drones who are afraid to say “eat less” of anything — and that’s just not the case.
Comment by Rebecca Scritchfield — September 10, 2008 @ 7:25 am
[…] Marion Nestle - What to Eat blog […]
Pingback by Do the new High Fructose Corn Syrup ads throw dietitians under the bus? « Balanced Health and Nutrition Rebecca Scritchfield’s Blog — September 10, 2008 @ 8:14 am
No, I am not convinced. Study after study has shown that “biochemically similar” does not mean “treated the same by the body.” Does anyone remember the beta-carotene craze? Studies proved that a diet high in beta-carotene protected against lung cancer in smokers. And then other studies proved that taking beta-carotene supplements increased the risk of lung cancer in smokers. Yes, the supplements were biochemically similar to the beta-carotene in vegetables and fruits, but the body responded much differently. Ditto studies on Vitamin E and other important nutrients.
Comment by ZF — September 11, 2008 @ 2:49 pm
[…] Marion Nestle - What to Eat blog […]
Pingback by Shaping Youth » HFCS Ad Analysis: Dieticians Dissed, Media Literacy Mandatory — September 11, 2008 @ 4:04 pm
How funny, that the HFCS lobby says to enjoy HFCS in moderation. Hard to do when it is in so many things you buy at the grocery store, from the obvious (soda pop) to the not so obvious (many types of bread, Yoplait yogurt, etc). Perhaps the increase in obesity can be tied to HFCS going into so many of our foods.
Comment by Heather — September 11, 2008 @ 5:25 pm
I don’t know if you were misquoted by Scientific American, but it sounds like you’re sort of agreeing with the HFCS-is-worse-than-cane-sugar thing. There are two issues: (1) Is there any difference, healthwise, between HFCS and cane sugar?, and (2) Are we eating too much sugar?
Of course the answer to the second point is Yes. But that’s not really relevant to the whole HFCS paranoia. If scientists and academics like you don’t make it crystal clear when reporters call that HFCS is the same as cane, and if you don’t deflect attempts to get quotes out of you that can be twisted to make it seem that HFCS is sinister, guess what will happen? Food producers will eventually switch to cane, and where will we be, healthwise? In exactly, precisely the same place we are now. Look at what happened with trans fat: everyone is dropping it and replacing it with sat fat or with Frankenfood “non-trans fat shortening.” Even the CSPI regrets their tactics in that one.
Comment by Mark — September 13, 2008 @ 8:33 am
Thanks for bringing this to my attention. This is what I get for talking to a reporter from a hotel room in Parma. I have asked to have the quote corrected.
Comment by Marion — September 13, 2008 @ 4:48 pm
The problem with HFCS is that it transfers directly to your blood stream. Your body then rapidly spikes its insulin levels. Over time the insulin spikes will tire out your pancreas, leading to an increase in the risks of diabetes. That is not to say that cane does not do the same thing, but HFCS introduces sugar into your blood stream at a faster level.
The idea of moderation is also hypocritical. In reality most things are not life threatening in moderation: fat, sugar, marijuana.
Comment by elizabeth — September 15, 2008 @ 9:47 pm
Oh I did so much laugh after reading the Wikipedia Article on HFCS and then reading this from CRA’s site:
“Why did food and beverage manufacturers switch from sugar to high fructose corn syrup to sweeten products?
High fructose corn syrup has gained a prominent position in the U.S. food industry for many reasons: it is stable in acid systems…it inhibits microbial spoilage…it helps canned foods taste fresher…it is easy to transport and incorporate into recipes.”
*sarcasm*I must have missed these very important and useful benefits of HFCS on the 40+ sourced Wikipedia article, which by their(wikipedia’s) standards, must be neutral on all arguements. Shame on the wikipedia community for not obviously seeing these obvious facts.*end sarcasm*
This is what Wikipedia’s answer to the same question that the CRA’s site attempted to answer with half truths (if any truth at all):
“The preference for high-fructose corn syrup over cane sugar among the vast majority of American food and beverage manufacturers is largely due to U.S. import quotas and tariffs on sugar. These tariffs significantly increase the domestic U.S. price for sugar, forcing Americans to pay more than twice the world price for sugar, thus making high-fructose corn syrup an attractive substitute in U.S. markets.”
Not the major issue, but by whoever might be floating up there looking down on us, I do believe there is a very simple solution to -that- dilemma: Kill the tariffs and quotas, or have some of those Bureaucrats sell their Benz’s and Royce’s.
I personally would like to see BOTH happen and get some money back into the hands of the American needy and outta the hands of the American greedy.
~Your’s sarcasticly and lovingly livid on ludacris HFCS supporting lobbyists,
Markius Fox
Comment by Markius Fox — September 16, 2008 @ 2:39 am
Where did they get the statement that “RDs agree that HFCS is the same as table sugar and can be enjoyed in moderation?” Is this in a position paper by ADA?
I, an RD, certainly don’t agree with that statement.
Comment by Renata — September 17, 2008 @ 8:37 pm
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Pingback by Websites tagged "slogans" on Postsaver — October 6, 2008 @ 10:32 pm
Well… Americans were not lard asses in the early 80’s, before HFCS. Diabetes and Obesity were not rampant. HCFS is in everything, including just about every processed food you eat. In 2008, Americans are the fattest lard asses on the planet. Ask the Senator from Archer Daniels Midland, Bob Dole.
Comment by Bill — October 22, 2008 @ 8:58 pm
I cut out HFCS completely from my family’s diet in August. Since then both my kids sleep better, they behave better, my husband and I sleep better, and I have not only lost weight but have kept it off with no effort. I have not changed the amount of food I eat, I just eat A LOT less processed food because nearly everything has HFCS in it. I could care less what anyone says- I have seen the proof that life without HFCS is much sweeter!!
Comment by SARA — November 17, 2008 @ 11:10 am
Hello my name is Keith. I currently live in Japan. I remember when I had the chance to goto another developed country when I was 18. I went to Europe. Everything was different. Even the food. The soda tasted diffrent, everything. I was losing weight. Quite rapidly, and I was able to keep it off. I made it back to the states, and I almost died when I first had a mr.pibb. I figured it was the HFCS at that point because the soda itself was just heavy. I mean too heavy. I had a headache, and it felt like I was on a HUGE sugar rush. I didn’t realize this before, but food, and drinks shouldn’t make you sick. I couldn’t eat anything for awhile. Then I got use to it all. American food is shit. It is crap. I never understood how we put up with it, but then I see posters who sit here and tell me they are biochemically the same, and thus there is no argument. When the argument still exist. As you know it metabolizes differently in your body. Now we don’t even have to dig deep to know that HFCS is the major cause for obesity, and diabetes in the US.
In 1982 when HFCS was introduced into the American food supply. Kids for the first time began getting type 2 diabetes. This has never happened before in recorded human history. Obesity rates soared.
You can look at the data, and you can look at the yr in which it was allowed to be put in the food supply. It all correlates. Its no conspiracy. But people will label it as such. The one thing we must all remember when debating this issue is that. The moment someone comes off as being logical, and then makes statements such as “HFCS paranoia.” That means this person already has in their mind that people are crazy to be against something. That something is wrong with people that don’t agree with them. Hell its a slick way to discredit people for raising their opinions in the first place. By calling you crazy, a conspiracy theorist, or anything else that labels you as an outcast of society. YOu should not engage this person in a debate. As they already lost when they said it. Once you engage them in a debate. You have lost also. Look for people who know the facts!
Comment by keith — November 26, 2008 @ 9:15 am
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