I usually eat what I want and when I want. That is very easy to do during the school year with all the treats that are dumped off in the teacher's lounge. Usually these consist of cake, cookies, chips, donuts.....lots of foods that contain high fructose corn syrup. So why is high fructose corn syrup bad for you and what types of snacks will eliminate this from your diet?
High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is not a natural sweetener, like fruits which are naturally sweet. It is injected into our foods in very high doses. It has been linked to problems with obesity, liver damage, diabetes, and may contribute to tumor growth. High doses of mercury have been found in foods with HFCS which can interfere with the brain or nervous system. One of the most interesting findings about HFCS was that when it is consumed it can actually alter your brain's ability to memorize and learn new information. Not good if you are working on your graduate degree, like me!
Avoiding HFCS is not easy because so many of our processed foods contain it. I was surprised by the amount of foods I was eating that contain HFCS! Health is about having long term goals for myself and not just about losing weight. I have provided a list of foods to avoid snacking on that contain HFCS and that do not contain HFCS. Check out the links below for more information.
Good Snacks to Try
- Vegetables
- Fruits
- Canned fruit (check the label first)
- Meats
- Nuts and Seeds
- Some breads (Pepperidge Farm wheat)
- Goldfish crackers
- Cheerios
- Kashi
- Triscuits
- Peanut Butter (check the label first)
- Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream (avoid ones that add bits of candy)
- Nesquick Chocolate Syrup
- Maple Syrup
- Special K Waffles
Snacks to Avoid
- Some lunchmeats (check the label first)
- BBQ Sauce and Ketchup (unless it says organic)
- Honey Mustard (although regular mustard does not have HFCS)
- Pancake Syrup
- Most soda pop
- Pickles
- Breakfast cereals and bars
- Processed snacks.
7 Alarming Reasons to Avoid High-Fructose Corn Syrup
List of Foods With No HFCS
List of Products With No HFCS
I love this topic! I spend a day teaching kids about sugars and snacking. We spend half the lesson on sugars found in drinks. The kids rank the bottles in order from lowest amount of sugar per serving to highest. After we go through the answers, we talk about where the sugar comes from in each drink--is it a natural occurring, a sugar substitute, real sugar, or chemical sugar. Another thing we talk about is what a serving is with drinks. For most people its the whole bottle of the beverage. More people need to know the harmful effects of sugar. Our society turns a blind eye to it, but it does have an impact on learning. Our school allows energy drinks, coffee, and the list goes on...we don't provide it but kids bring it to school. Does your school have any regulations or rules on sugar drinks or snacks?
ReplyDeleteHi Katie,Our school doesn't allow soda pop in lunches that are brought from home but it seems like that is what every child brings from home to hand our for their birthday treats. I really wish that the products that are healthier were cheaper. As a consumer on a budget it is hard to buy the healthier juice/snack/etc.if it cost so much more than the other options.
ReplyDeleteThis is very informative! I knew that HFCS was linked to obesity and diabetes but I never knew it contributed to tumor grown or caused issues with the memory. That is eye opening! Imagine what the kids would be able to remember if they ate healthier. My school is on the healthy track where we do not allow any food for any occasion and we encourage the students to bring in fruits and veggies. I would absolutely love to ban juice boxes but I know we can't do that. lol Thanks for the helpful info!
ReplyDeleteBoy, did this open up my eyes! It's funny that we don't allow soda in our schools but our snack machine is LOADED with breakfast bars, chips, pop tarts and the rest of the stuff we shouldn't be encouraging. I may have to bring it to their attention to get rid of that stuff and offer other things. I would much rather see us make a total effort to improve health, not just target soda!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your post. It's a very clear description of HFCS and its implications. I love how you list different foods to avoid: very useful. I've been trying to watch more of the ingredients of my foods and get healthier products with fewer additives. HFCS will definitely be on my list of additives to watch out for.
ReplyDeleteHi Jen, This is a good post, for sure, and I feel hugely guilty as I read it!! I need to be checking the labels more closely. I have teenage girls who don't have time for breakfast meals and are more apt to want a breakfast bar with a yogurt and fly out the door. The yogurt is good, but I will watch it on the bars. They love granola bars and Special K bars,too...probably awful for them. I will check out the links you attached, as well, as they are quite useful. Thanks for the post.
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