High fructose corn syrup – good and bad

The truth about high fructose corn syrup

What do we know about high fructose corn syrup, and is it good or bad for our health? 

looking at a corn field

 

                High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a calorie-providing sweetener used to sweeten foods and beverages, particularly processed and store-bought foods. It is made by an enzymatic process from glucose syrup that is derived from corn. A relatively new food ingredient, it was first produced in Japan in the late 1960s, then entered the American food supply system in the early 1970s. HFCS is a desirable food ingredient for food manufacturers because it is equally as sweet as table sugar, blends well with other foods, helps foods to maintain a longer shelf life, and is less expensive (due to government subsidies on corn) than other sweeteners. It can be found in a variety of food products including soft drinks, salad dressings, ketchup, jams, sauces, ice cream and even bread. (http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=486)

This is what high fructose corn syrup looks like

 

 

There are two types of high fructose corn syrup found in foods today:

• HFCS-55 (the main form used in soft drinks) contains 55% fructose and 45% glucose.
• HFCS-42 (the main form used in canned fruit in syrup, ice cream, desserts, and baked goods) contains 42% fructose and 58% glucose.   (http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=486)

Powerade has HFCS listed as the second ingredient

Bottom line, the Mayo Clinic notes that “controversy exists … about whether or not the body handles high-fructose corn syrup differently than table sugar.” But Mayo and Green America are on the same page when it comes to sugar and HFCS: Avoid overconsumption of both. (http://blog.greenamerica.org/2013/04/23/table-sugar-vs-high-fructose-corn-syrup-which-is-worse/)

 

High fructose corn syrup

list of ingredients HFCS

 

more Philippine fruits – Rambutan

Rambutan is one of my favorite fruits in the Philippines. It looks a bit “hairy” on the outside, so just peel the skin and the inside is so soft and sweet…almost melts in your mouth like candy!   Always peel it because sometimes ants or small insects may make their home on the “hairy” part of the skin. WASH them off well when you bring them home.  They are VERY YUMMY!

eating Guava in the Philippines (known as bayabas)

Locally grown bayabas trees in the Philippines (we know them as Guava) are green on the outside and a reddish color on the inside. I was not use to eating Guava that is green on the outside thinking that they are not ripe. In fact, by cutting one in half, they are a watermellon red color on the inside and sweet! They are grown all over the Cagayan Valley and can be harvested all year!

The calamansi fruit

Calamansi, or Kalamansi, is a citrus fruit native to the Philippines.  I saw many calamansi trees in the Cagayan Valley. This is where I got my first taste of the fruit. It seems to be almost like a hybrid of a Lemon and a Tangerine. It is often called the Chinese Orange. The taste, to me, was a bit sour, but is can be squeezed into juice or tea.