Monday, February 22, 2010

Weight A Minute Monday!


High Fructose Corn Syrup
Spicy Wifey's health expert Dalana Myers wants us to be aware of what we are putting in our bodies. High Fructose Corn Syryup is one of the most common culprits of diet devastators. Sweet treats are usually bad news for our diets because they are packed with sugars and empty calories with virtually no nutritional value.
High-fructose corn syrup is a common sweetener and preservative. Because it extends the shelf life of processed foods and is cheaper than sugar, high-fructose corn syrup has become a popular ingredient in many sodas, fruit-flavored drinks and other processed foods.
While research continues, moderation remains important. Many beverages and other processed foods made with high-fructose corn syrup and other sweeteners are high in calories and low in nutritional value. Regularly including these products in your diet has the potential to promote obesity — which, in turn, promotes conditions such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and coronary artery disease.

Consider these tips if you want to limit the amount of high fructose corn syrup (or other sweeteners) in your diet:
-Choose fresh fruit rather than fruit juice or fruit-flavored drinks. Even 100 percent fruit juice has a high concentration of sugar.
-Limit processed foods.
-Drink fewer beverages that list high fructose corn syrup within the first few ingredients (e.g. soda)
-Avoid foods that contain added sugar.
-Choose fruit canned in its own juices instead of heavy syrup.
-Don't allow sweetened beverages to replace milk, especially for children.

Common Foods High in High Fructose Corn Syrup
Regular soft drinks
Fruit juices
Pancake syrups
Popsicles
Fruit-flavored yogurts
Frozen yogurts
Ketchup and BBQ sauces
Jarred and canned pasta sauces
Canned soups
Canned fruits (if not in its own juice)
Breakfast cereals
Highly sweetened breakfast cereals

Problems Caused by Too Much High Fructose Corn Syrup
It can lead to higher caloric intake
It can lead to an increase in bodyweight
It fools your body into thinking it’s hungry
It increases the amount of processed foods you eat, thereby decreasing your intake of nutrient-dense foods
It may increase insulin resistance and triglycerides

*High fructose corn syrup sources (mayoclinic.com and diabeteshealth.com)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have heard mixed reports on this. In fact there is a commerical running, probably beng sponsored by the corn producers, that its not bad for you.

Oh well, most experts I respect have said it was bad so I have decided to try and cut it out of my diet!

Spicy Wifey said...

Thanks hondo3777 for sharing that information!
The best way to achieve changes in our health and see weight loss is to adopt healthier habits. We have to change the way we eat and know what we are putting in our bodies and the affect it has on our health. Cooking out is a part of my lifestyle! So, something as simple as this sauce can make cooking out a healthier option for me in the future.

Quintessence, Spicy Wifey
Co-Founder