REALLY High Fructose Corn Syrup

One of the pages that I follow on Facebook posted an article from the LA Times regarding the real amount of high fructose corn syrup in soda. After reading it I was furious and wanted to vent about it on my blog.

I know, vent about soda? Aren't there other more important causes I can find worthy of a good rant? After all, we all know that soda is bad for us and that we shouldn't drink it. Fortunately our family doesn't drink soda or much juice for that matter. We are lucky that Ozzie loves his water. But here is why I was am upset.

"Fructose and glucose are simple sugars. Fructose is sweeter than glucose and has been shown to do more damage to your metabolism. Sucrose – better known as table sugar – is a 50-50 combination of fructose and glucose. The HFCS used in soda is supposed to contain no more than 55% fructose and 45% glucose, according to the Corn Refiners Assn. (Another popular formulation is 42% fructose and 58% glucose.)"

Researchers found that the sweeteners in Coca-Cola and Pepsi contained as much as 65% fructose (and only 35% glucose), and Sprite, the soda that parents feed their kids in order to feel slightly less guilty, registered as much as 64% fructose (and 36% glucose).

Okay so the soda manufacturers lied- big surprise there. BUT here is the kicker- "The U.S. Food and Drug Administration allows for some wiggle room on nutrition labels. Sodas are allowed to have as much as 20% more of a nutrient – including sugar and HFCS – than is indicated on the side of the can. Even Cokes and Pepsis with 65% fructose instead of 55% are only 18% higher than advertised."

Once again the FDA sides with big business, aka big money, at the expense of its citizens. A 20% wiggle room on food nutrition labels? I'll say that again 20%!

Imagine if everyone was able to fudge 20% of their job. Today I will make sure Ozzie gets 20% less sleep than the recommended amount for his age, or give him 20% less milk than he needs for his health, or 20% more food (in the form of sugar) than he should eat- ridiculous!

How long can we continue to allow our government agencies that are supposed to protect us hurt us for their own financial gain? More importantly what, as the average citizen, can we do to stop it? I really do not know the answer.

And that's the end of my rant. Click HERE to read the full article.