...High Fructose Corn Syrup: The New Scapegoat to Obesity Recently, the majority of the United States population has been increasingly concerned with the affect of the controversial issue surrounding high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in their diet. Today, about 55 percent of Americans list the infamous sweetener among their food-safety worries, right behind mad cow disease and mercury in seafood, according to the consumer research firm NPD Group (Parker-Pope, 2010). It has caused a major stir in the media, nutritionist and dietitians, food manufacturers, corn refiners and above all, consumers. As a result, there have been opposing conclusions amongst researchers. Of course, there are always two sides of the story. Hence, researchers have conducted numerous and time-consuming lab experiments on rats and human subjects alike to contradict each other’s studies and conclusions. It is a matter of which side to believe and how reliable the information presented. For starter, research claims that HFCS is linked to obesity. However, on the other side of the spectrum, researchers claim that HFCS is nothing less than a table sugar in a liquid form and it actually provides many benefits to processed foods. Although they are in strong opposition, both seem to agree on one thing: Consumption of HFCS moderately may reduce obesity. In doing my research, I learned that high fructose corn syrup is not as dreadful as many inadequately informed consumers make it out to be. The key to...
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...High Fructose corn syrup in the US and UK High fructose corn syrup, also known as Fructose-Glucose syrup, is a liquid sweetener that was created to act as a substitute for regular sugar in the 1950s, and is now used in almost all processed foods in the United States, and to a lesser degree, the United Kingdom. Since its creation, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has been used extensively not only in these two countries, but also around the world. It is an ingredient in almost every single mass-produced beverage and food product, however its extensive use has sparked a lot of controversy regarding HFCS and its possible obesity-causing effects, as well as issues of sustainability and agriculture. High fructose corn syrup was so quickly embraced by food producers due to its sweetness comparable to that of sucrose (regular table sugar), its stability, and ease of application. Another part of HFCS’s appeal was that sugar cane was originally grown in places that were both politically and environmentally unstable, and so any fluctuation in either of those factors meant a variation in the worldwide price of sugar. In 1977 the United States imposed a system of sugar tariffs and quotas which significantly raised the price of imported sugar, so producers sought a cheaper alternative, and high fructose corn syrup was the answer. Initial shipments to the United States food industry started in the late 1960s and since then there have been many advancements in its production which have led...
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...Effect Fructose Corn Syrup Has On Diabetes Bethel University May 8, 2012 Expository Writing Facilitator- Ms. Sarthou Abstract High fructose corn syrup is causing many problems in the United States. The main problems are obesity which causes type two diabetes. There are also many other diseases that branch off from these two main diseases, like liver and heart disease. In this paper, exploring the reason why high fructose corn syrup is becoming such a huge problem in the United States. The argument of this paper is that high fructose syrup has an adverse effect on diabetes. When the producers of high fructose syrup saw that it is more cost effective than other sugars, other companies started to use high fructose corn syrup in their products. High fructose corn syrup is a sugar made of fifty-five percent fructose and forty-five percent glucose. Compared to normal table sugar, which is fifty percent fructose and fifty percent glucose, it doesn’t seem like much. Yet the fructose in high fructose corn syrup is less attached from normal sugar. This fructose that is free from the glucose part is more harmful to the body. It was first introduced in 1970 but it hasn’t been actively used until the late 1900s. Yet because we started to use high fructose corn syrup, it is now causing a lot of problems. It has many negative side effects after consumption, and most of the consuming is done in the United States. Two of the main problems caused by high fructose corn syrup are obesity...
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...out some of your confusions regarding to high fructose corn syrup vs. table sugar with my so called highly scientifically literate brain. The high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) was introduced in 1957 by scientists in a short report. According to the article Sweet Confusion (Beil 2014), two chemists Richard Marshall and Earl Kooi found out a way to rearrange the components of glucose from corn, and discovered a fluid like sweeter sweetener. Because HFCS has better solubility, high applicability, and most importantly high...
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...High fructose corn syrup In the past decades heath related problems have increased drastically. This can be seen in people of all ages. It is not a secret that our food has been changed a lot. Due to the changes of ingredients of our food that we consume every day many people started to have serious health problems related to health. One of the very famous dietary ingredients known to everyone is high fructose corn syrup. First it was made and introduced in United States in late 1950s, but it was not perfected. A decade later Japan have improved and started using it for mass production. HFCS was added to processed foods and soft drinks as a sugar substitute. Advantage of this new food additive was a much easier production and a low price. Right after Japan, USA started using it too; however, no one new its affects on the human body. Since USA started to add HFCS to manufactured food and soft drinks, the rates of obesity, heart diseases and metabolism problems has grown. Since we started to use HFCS in our manufactured food our obesity rates have been increased among the all ages of USA residents. According to Centers for Desease Control and Prevention (CDC), “During the past 20 years, there has been a dramatic increase in obesity in the United States and rates remain high. By state, obesity prevalence ranged from 21.0% in Colorado to 34.0% in Mississippi in 2010. No state had...
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...High Fructose Corn Syrup Terry Johnson Devry University 9/11/2014 HFCS was first introduced by Richard O. Marshall and Earl R. Kooi in 1957. They were, however, unsuccessful in making it viable for mass production, primarily because the glucose-isomerizing activity they discovered required arsenate, which was highly toxic to humans. An industrially feasible glucose isomerase, which did not require arsenate ion for its catalytic activity, was first discovered by Dr. Kei Yamanaka, Kagawa University, Japan, in 1961. The industrial production process was refined by Dr. Yoshiyuki Takasaki ay the Agency of Industrial Science and Technology of Ministry of International Trade and Industry of Japan in 1965-1970. High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a fructose/glucose liquid sweetener substitute for sucrose common table sugar, first introduced to the food and beverage industry in the 1970s. There is not much different in the composition or metabolism of other fructose/glucose sweeteners like sucrose (sugar), honey, and concentrated fruit juices. HFCS was broadly accepted by food designers, its use grew between the mid-1970s and mid-1990s as an alternative for sugar. HFCS instantly proved itself as an alternative to sugar in liquid applications because of its salability in acidic foods and beverages. HFCS it is syrup, and can be pumped from delivery vehicles to storage and mixing tanks, requiring only simple dilution before use. This ingredient derived from corn a dependable, renewable...
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...High Fructose Corn Syrup and Childhood Obesity University High Fructose Corn Syrup and Childhood Obesity Introduction High consumption of fructose such as corn syrup is uniquelya predictive factor of obesity among children. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2012), the obesity rate among all children and adolescent aged 2-19 years old is approximately 17% or 12.5 million. Obesity, which is a multifactorial health problem, is one of the greatest concerns of country; our attitude and habit on food consumption are clearly part of this predicament (Bray, 2007). High-fructose corn syrup has widely used in many foods and beverages as an alternative liquid sweetener. It was used as a replacement for sucrose which is derived from sugar cane or sugar beets. The popularity of high-fructose corn syrupis due to some technological problem in certain application of sucrose. The technological issues of sucrose were hydrolysis in acidic system; it alters the sweetness and flavour characteristics of a product; and the need to dissolve its granules in water prior being used in many applications. There were also political and climatic instability of sugar cane since it is traditionally grown in equatorial regions. This resulted to fluctuation on the availability and price of sugar (White, 2008). Uses and Benefits of High-fructose Corn Syrup The wide availability of high-fructose corn syrup is evident in most of our foods and beverages. The beverages...
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...your mind to see how harmful the soda can be to your body. One: Soda has high fructose corn syrup. Two: Diet coke is worse than regular coke. Three: Soda is very high in calories. My first reason is because many sodas contain high fructose corn syrup which is harmful to your body. First of all soft drinks with high fructose corn syrup contributes to the development of diabetes, mostly in young children. It can also cause tissue damage which could cause you to get diseases; high fructose corn syrup can also cause obesity. Soda can also raise your blood sugar along with bad cholesterol and make it more likely to have a heart attack. My second reason is about the type of sodas and why soft drinks (Coke, Pepsi, etc.) that claim they are diet is even more unhealthy for you. First of all diet coke is worse for you than regular soda. diet coke can make you become at risk of diabetes and cause obesity. If you drink one can of diet soda a day you have more of a chance to of developing metabolic syndrome than those who drink none at all. Diet coke also contains more calories than regular sodas all together. My third reason is soda (regular or diet) is high in calories along with sugar/carbohydrates. All sodas have highs and lows in two things sugar and calories. Regular soda is higher in calories than in sugar and diet soda is high in sugar than in calories. The reason people may get high blood sugar while drinking soda is because of the amount of sugar/carbohydrates...
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...Childhood Obesity ENG 122 April 26, 2012 Childhood Obesity Childhood obesity is an ongoing problem that we will all face in our lifetime. We may encounter this from our own experience as being an overweight child, seeing it in our children, their friends or even in our grandchildren. We all need to have a better understanding of childhood obesity. We will start this journey by address a brief history of childhood obesity, short and long-term health concerns, methods for treating obesity, and prevention of obesity in children. The overall purpose will be to foster an understanding of the impact high-fructose corn syrup usage in the last 30 years has had in relation to the childhood obesity epidemic. Childhood obesity is not a new problem but it is becoming an epidemic in the United States. Dr. Fals (2009) writes, “this country has been struggling with obesity for well over 20 years now” (p. 1). Most of us can remember when there was maybe one overweight child in a classroom, now there are two to three instead. The National Center for Health Statistics has been conducting surveys since 1963 relating to obesity among children and adolescents in the United States (Ogden, 2010). This is the only organization that has solid scientific history and statistical data available. It appears that obesity was not tracked on a nationwide level prior to 1963. One reason may be that there weren’t enough cases of childhood obesity to raise any red flags up until the 1960s. Since...
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...The Chemistry Behind Diet Soda The Chemistry Behind Diet Soda Everyone who knows me knows that my favorite soft drink is Dr. Pepper. There was a time when I drank Dr. Pepper with all my meals, I also realized during that time that I was feeling heavier than before, and I gained weight as well; I needed to make a change. I did what a lot of people in America do while trying to give up soda, I gave up the regular Dr. Pepper and switch to the Diet Dr. Pepper mainly because it contained zero calories. When I tried it I hated it, it tasted so fake and was not something I wanted to taste ever again. So I wanted to know, what’s really inside the diet sodas? How does drinking diet soda really affect me and society? Does diet sodas benefit or harms this society that is overwhelmed with artificially sweetened beverages? In this essay I will be talking about the chemistry of diet sodas and the effect it has on the body. In a culture that is overwhelmed with consuming soda, when trying to lose weight, the easiest way people try to stop drinking soda is switching to diet soda. For example, one can of non diet Coke contains one hundred and fifty calories per twelve fluid ounces, whereas a can of Diet Coke has zero calories per twelve fluid ounces. It sounds convenient to make the switch because of the difference in calories, on the other hand is switching to diet soda really as helpful as it sounds? Some studies have shown that diet soda is not a beneficial source f0r wanting to...
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...High Fructose Corn Syrup How do we change what we eat? When most of our food contains traces of high fructose corn syrup, it seems like we are forced to eat this way, while these food companies continue to profit on our health. Majority of our people are unable to afford health insurance because it’s seems like the same people don’t want the Americans to be healthy. The food companies heavily markets to individuals who have low income and lack of knowledge. Therefore majority of our unhealthy population are the ones who are in the poverty level. Many people think that just because it’s inexpensive, it does not mean it’s good for you. High Fructose Corn Syrup is an “artificial” sweetener. By definition it means; made by human skills. High fructose corn syrup was developed in the 1960’s and began being incorporated into the things we drink and slowly but surely replaced the natural sugar. Since it was produce much cheaper than sugar that derived from cane and beets, the wonderful government began subsiding the corn companies. According to the NPD Group, a market research firm, more than half of all Americans are concerned that high fructose corn syrup. “High-fructose corn syrup makes up about 50% of the sweeteners used in the USA but worldwide it's only about 10%”. Every day we eat. We eat home cooked meals or fast food rarely thinking about what’s going into our bodies. Most of the time one of the first ingredients listed on a can of soda or canned fruit is some form of HFCS...
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...Creating Long Term Loyalty Pepsi: High Fructose Corn Syrup Controversy Week 4 Assignment CR-504-LA01-14FAMBA Marketing Management 9/15/2014 Matt Reynolds - Ellyn Weston - Jill Butterweck 1 Company Profile Pepsi • • • “We are a leading global food and beverage company with brands that are respected household names throughout the world.” “At PepsiCo, we believe being a responsible corporate citizen is not only the right thing to do, but the right thing to do for our business.” Mission: To lead in convenient food and beverages, serve our investors and employees with opportunities for growth. Pepsi values honesty, fairness and integrity. Vision: Achieve success with positive imprint on society with performance and purpose. Drive shareholder value. Address social and environmental issues. Empower people, build trust, grow and get things done. – – – – – – Care for our customers, our consumers and the world we live in. Sell only products we can be proud of Speak with truth and candor Win with diversity and inclusion Balance short term and long term. Respect others and succeed together. • • 9/15/2014 Matt Reynolds - Ellyn Weston - Jill Butterweck 2 What Are the Customers Saying? HFCS gives soda a bad taste – “Not what it used to be.” (popular) Skeptical of how “natural” HFCS really is. Increasing push to make sugar the dominant sweetener in Soda. Real sugar is better for the body and digestion Amazon.com Reviewers of Pepsi Throwback HFCS is...
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...Connection between Poverty and Obesity English 135 DeVry University Farm subsidy payments are over $10 billion and are authorized to make payments to people “who aren’t even farmers anymore” (Morgan, Gaul, Cohen, 2006, para. 3). This has been going on, in some cases, over 10 years (para. 6). As long as you owned the farmland, you don’t even have to be growing anything and you would continue to receive a subsidy check (para. 3). Bottom line is all these billions of dollars in government subsidies contribute to lowering the cost of processed foods; not a good occurrence if you have low-income and cannot afford the high cost of healthier foods. The processed foods are so cheap to buy and are the unhealthiest that can be consumed by any human being. They are high-density, high-calorie, high-fat junk food that the unfortunate and less-advantaged part of our society has no choice but to buy because it is all they can afford. Studies show a strong connection between poverty and obesity, the government should appoint a task force to regulate and limit or repeal farm subsidies and overproduction of certain agriculture commodities like corn that is used to create highly processed, cheaply priced, high-calorie, high-density “junk foods”, so that prices of natural whole foods can once again be competitive and give the low-income consumers healthier food choices, thus contributing to the reduction of obesity. The U.S. budget for government financial subsidies to U.S...
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...Fructose and the increased amount of Obesity in America Nutri, Health & Wellness Professor Date: Week 2: Fructose and the increased amount of Obesity in America Introduction This paper will be discussing the popular sweetener: fructose. Fructose’s History Fructose is known to be found specifically in plants abundantly. It contains a six carbon sugar that goes by the name of hexose. It also possesses glucose which is known as a common table sugar. Fructose By taking a look at Figure 1 listed above, we are able to see how fructose is structured. Now in Figure 2 we are able to see the role that Fructose plays in fruits and vegetables Figure 2: The amount of Fructose that is found in some of our favorite fruits and veggies Fructose was first discovered in 1847 by French chemist Augustin-Pierre Dubrunfaut. Fructoses function in high fructose corn syrup was also a very important discovery. Fructose was first used in high fructose corn syrup in 1977. [1]. For those that are unaware, Fructose is found a big amount of plants and is listed as a monosaccharide. Fructose is a part of the three dietary monosaccharides that include galactose and glucose which are typically absorbed during digestion into the bloodstream. Fructose is found in berries, most root vegetables, honey, flowers, fruits and vine fruits. Fructose is typically...
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...King Corn Corn is a plant that can grow in various types of climates, making it the top crop grown in the world. However, a certain type of climate is optimal for most efficient production of corn. Corn needs a temperate weather and good soil. These conditions, as well as the use of hybrid seeds, provide a basis for the huge corn industry in the United States. According to Conceicao and Mendoza, “About 90% of corn and soybean exports are accounted for by only three countries: Argentina, Brazil and the USA. Five countries (India, Pakistan, Thailand, USA and Vietnam) account for over 80% of global rice exports.” King Corn follows two best friends from college, Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis, who go to the heartland to figure out what their food is composed of after finding out in a laboratory study that their DNA was mostly made up of corn. They were curious how corn ended up on their hair. After they plant and grow an acre of America's most produced and most subsidized on Iowa soil, they try to find out where the corn goes in the food system and how it is distributed all over America. What they discover shocks them. There are many reasons why there is an overproduction of corn in the United States, including advancements in technology, government subsidies, the cheap price of corn and corn syrup as opposed to grass and sugar. Overproduction of corn leads to overconsumption of the crop, because since corn is so cheap to grow, many try to figure out new ways on how to turn...
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