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Don't Swallow Corn Refiners' Syrupy Ads

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 13, 2008

American consumers should be wary of food manufacturers that launch campaigns to promote their product's safety. A prime example is the Corn Refiners Association, which is sponsoring ads extolling the virtues of high fructose corn syrup.

There's good reason to be concerned about this pervasive artificial sweetener.

Scientists have correlated the rise in the consumption of high fructose corn sweetener in the American diet to soaring rates of obesity, diabetes and other health maladies, but researchers have yet to prove exactly what role, if any, this suspicious syrup plays.

Two years ago, Florida state Rep. Juan Zapata called HFCS the "crack of sweeteners" when he launched an unsuccessful effort to ban it from school lunch offerings. His words might have been a bit too strong, and his legislation may have been premature, but that doesn't mean this sweetener is harmless.

Consumption of HFCS - which is produced by the molecular manipulation of corn starch into a sweetener that's cheaper than sugar from cane or beets - has increased more than 250 percent over the past 15 years. Americans eat about three times as much sugar - on average 31 teaspoons a day - than government nutritionists recommend, much of it in the form of HFCS.

The scientific research does not blame HFCS for the nation's obesity epidemic, and questions about whether the human body processes HFCS differently from natural sugars or in a way that disrupts an individual's metabolism or appetite are unsettled.

Some studies have shown that the human body metabolizes fructose in a manner that may contribute to the development of diabetes, particularly in children. It also is suspected of producing elevated levels of triglycerides that can lead to heart disease.

The corn refiners' cutesy ad campaign dismisses serious concerns by some researchers that this generation of children may not live as long as their parents because of obesity-related illnesses.

And the corn refiners say their product is fine in moderation, but they gloss over the fact that HFCS has become so pervasive that it's difficult to moderate your intake.

The stuff just isn't in sodas; it's in bread, crackers, breakfast foods, yogurt and even products like cottage cheese, pickles, salad dressings and canned soups. Most consumers don't even know it's there unless they look for it.

The corn refiners want to make you feel foolish for seeking to avoid their product. But being cautious about this sweetener makes you one smart cookie.

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