Poison = High-Fructose Corn Syrup

Radical notion, I know. High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) could actually be poisonous?

"I think it IS poison," declares Chef Greg Jaworski of The NOSH, Lake City's 5- star phenomenal, fresh ingredient, French bistro restaurant.

Isn't sugar just sugar no matter what form it takes? They all contain empty calories, this is true.

And fructose in and of itself isn't bad...heck, it is the main sugar in fruit!

It is the boat loads of soda pop being drunk every day...which I believe is in the millions of cans per day...is what I'm talkin' about. Many many many Americans are burning OIL for fuel to power our cars and other such toys at the same rate they are consuming soda POP...WOWWWWWWWWWW. Could there be a parallel? We are such a culture of overconsumers....ugh.

Ranting aside,

Research is actually showing that our bodies process HFCS differently than other sugars...that the liver actually metabolizes fructose into fat more easily than other sugars. While HFCS may not be harmful enough to do serious damage, it has been linked to obesity, Type 2 Diabetes and heart disease. It is also cheap and readily available (corn is the highest subsidized crop) and used a lot to sweeten soft drinks and other beverages as well as baked goods, yogurt, ice cream, jam, jellies, dairy products, etc.

Sooooo, if you aren't a fanatical label reader, HFCS is pretty hard to avoid. In other words, if you aren't eating fresh veggies, fruits and whole foods, you can bet your booty your eating HFCS. It is the main ingredient in a plethora of products out there in mainstream groceries and convenience stores.

Too many of the wrong carbs? I think so.

"People are eating the same amounts of carbohydrates, but today instead of getting most of their carbs from whole grains and vegetables, people are getting them from processed grains and sugars, with the majority coming from HFCS. " Rebecca Shauer, RD, LD

Our culture consumes massive amounts of soda pop and junk food. Look at the advertising. Follow the money. Pepsi, Coke and other big food conglomerates are dominating the market.

"...the introduction of HFCS, and the increased intakes of soft drinks and other sweetened beverages, have led to increases in total caloric and fructose consumption that are important contributors to the current obesity epidemic."

Of course, genetics, decreased physical activity, increased fast food consumption and portion sizes are factors, too.

Still, HFCS is keeping us down, folks...it is preventing us from taking our health into our own hands and living a fabulous life right now, feeling good and full of energy day in day out.

Eliminate HFCS from your diet and watch the pounds fall away, watch your energy shift, watch your cravings for sugar decrease.

Do more veggies, fruits, protein and minimal carbs. Reduce sugar intake. Walk more, laugh lots, breathe deeply, and dare to ....dream BIG.

Coming up:

Recipes for the solo chef at home...