So, recently I had the opportunity to participate in a webinar to learn more about High Fructose Corn Syrup.
I am very interested in this subject. As you know I have lost a good bit of weight recently and my family and I have been working on changing our diet. This HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) debate has been going on for a while, so I was glad to be able to get more info about it.
I was stunned to learn that table sugar and HFCS have the same effect on common health issues!
Of course, this goes right along with what I learned in my weight loss journey – it’s all about serving sizes and how much we eat!
I challenge you to spend a few days only eating the serving sizes on the box, can or bag and 4 oz of meat. You cannot order a 4 oz steak or hamburger. When you go out to eat they feed you enough for 2-3 people!
I now, closely follow the serving sizes on everything! Did you know that most chips have a serving size of 10 – 13? When was the last time you ate 10-13 chips? We graze!! When we cook, when we eat, when we socialize while eating, when we snack – it’s nuts!
I have learned to eat a meal (serving sizes) and not eat again until the next meal, no snacks, no problem. I am never hungry, I have lost more than 7o lbs, doing that alone – no exercise.
Ok, so back to HFCS and sugar! Basically what I learned is, it was a scare – not science. There is no difference in the sweetness or the effect on our bodies. We are looking for something or someone to blame the obesity issue on – we have to take responsibility for it, we did it to ourselves! Of course, this generation HATES takes responsibility for anything – look where that has gotten us!
Here’s what the American Medical Association & the American Dietetic Association are saying:
No difference in their calories or effects. Here are a few Dr.’s opinions:
“The decision to switch from HFCS to cane sugar
is 100% marketing and 0% science.”David Ludwig, Director of the Optimal Weight for Life Program,
Children’s Hospital , Boston, Massachusetts“This is a marketing issue, not a metabolic issue. The real
issue is not high fructose corn syrup. It’s that we’ve
forgotten what a real serving size is. We have to eat less
of everything.”David Klurfeld, Ph.D., USDA’s Agricultural Research Service
Here are a few links with more info to help you more in your decisions regarding this issue:
Find calories for food items, and compare:
http://www.myfoodapedia.govPlan your own personal meals:
http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/downloads/sample_menu-MyPyramid.pdfFood Groups: https://www.supertracker.usda.gov/default.aspx
Sample Meal Plans:
http://www.mypyramid.gov/downloads/sample_menu.pdfeBook with health tips and sample meal plans:
My personal opinion? I will continue to change my family’s diet, however the main way will be by limiting servings to 1 serving not multiple. In this way we stay healthier – by eating less we are cutting down on cholesterol, fat, sugar, and salt! Everything in moderation! By following this very easy lifestyle change, I was able to lose the weight and get rid of the type II diabetes I was diagnosed with last year!
Years ago, people didn’t have the issues we have now – they worked harder and ate less! We have created an instant society – we are always looking to gain the body of an athlete without working for it and trying to create the diet that let’s us eat more and weigh less! 🙂 Those diets let you eat more but, not more of what I want – with MY diet, I get to eat what I want, I just eat less of it and in the process save money for sure – we can eat out for much less now. We even share meals, something never heard of before around here!
So, we worry more about how much we take in, rather than what we take in – by taking in less – we are automatically limiting what we take in! That’s my $.02!
“The information shared was provided by the Corn Refiners Association. I have been compensated for writing this blog post. All opinions are my own.”
Susan Merritt says
What a great idea….to eat the portion size. Sounds too simple but, I am going to try it.
Dian says
Let us know how it works for you! I am glad I finally made the decision and cannot believe how easy it was!
Thanks!
Dian
Marie says
It also helps to control how much food you cook. I used to make a big dinner and we would always go for 2nds and be stuffed, or have food left over and thrown away. Now I serve my husband and I only the portion size and still have some left over for the next day.
Dian says
@Marie: I don’t know why, but, when I first got married I cooked a ton of everything – the more kids we had the more I cooked – 1 girl – 3 boys – I cooked massive amounts of food! Thank God my kids are all a healthy weight – but, wow! I could have really caused them problems in adulthood and teen years, giving them so much to eat and not even thinking they could become overweight or struggle with weight issues throughout their lives!
We have 1 left at home and he gets offered less than the others did – poor thing! 🙂 He’s perfectly fine and you’re right I measure the meat out when i bring it home and freeze it in 4 oz packages and we know how many to get out each time, it’s so much easier!
Thanks!
Dian
Debbie F says
Diane, way to go on the weight loss you are kicking some serious butt girl! I am thrilled for you and now no more diabetes meds! So AWESOME!!!!
Dian says
@Debbie F: Thanks! I am proud of what I have been able to do – and want to encourage others that they can do it, too. It was an unsurmountable goal in the beginning that became one of the easiest things I have ever done!
Thanks for the kind words!
Dian
Curt says
I agree that much of the problems in the American diet stem from improper potion sizes. Generally, we need to lean how to stop eating when we are full. I think that this is the problem with HFCS. Some research suggests that HFCS never triggers our “full” sensation which causes us to stop eating. While HFCS is the “same” in the blood, and has the same effects as table sugars metabolically, I don’t believe that it has the same effects on the other key hungry/full chemical triggers our bodies have.
Try this: drink a two-liter bottle of soda that is sweetened with HFCS. Then try drinking two-liters of a flavored drink with the same sugar content, but flavored with table sugar. You’ll likely be able to finish off the soda and still be ready for dinner, while you’ll probably get sick from the drink sweetened with sugar.
Here is some recent research from Princeton: http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S26/91/22K07/index.xml?section=topstories