Myth Buster Month is kicking off with one of  the most talked about nutrition topics, High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS).

The MYTH:

According to TV commercials (below) sponsored by the Corn Refiners Association and sweetsurprise.com, HFCS is nutritionally the SAME as table sugar.

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What do you think, fact or fiction?  Let’s take a look…

First let’s look at how HFCS and sucrose (table sugar) are similar:

• Both contain 4 calories per gram.
• Both consist of a combination of glucose and fructose:
  • Sucrose = 50% glucose + 50% fructose
  • HFCS42 = 42% fructose + 53% glucose + 5% polysaccharides
  • HFCS55 = 55% fructose + 42% glucose + 3% polysaccharides
    

Next, let’s look at how HFCS and sucrose are different:

• HFCS and sucrose are made using entirely different methods.

I believe it is really important to understand where our food comes from, so this section is rather in-depth.  Pretend, the following is an episode of “How Its Made”.

Sucrose is made from either sugar cane (70% of sugar) or sugar beets (30% of sugar).  The process for each is slightly different.

Steps to create sucrose from sugar cane: grow, harvest, extract juice via crushing the sugar cane stalks (the leftover cane fiber is saved and used to generate future energy), boil juice, evaporate water, sugar crystals grow, and raw sugar forms.  This sugar is then shipped to a refinery where it is cleaned and decolored forming white table sugar and molasses. Steps to create sucrose from sugar beets – grow, harvest, slice beets, diffuse beets in hot water, press beets to extract juice, remove impurities,  boil juice, evaporate water, sugar crystals grow, and white table sugar is formed.  Note that in the creation of sucrose by either method no additives or enzymes are used.

HFCS is made using yellow dent corn.  This type of corn has a higher starch content than the sweet corn we eat as a vegetable.  Yellow dent corn has an extremely hard outer layer, making it inedible in traditional form.  It is used only in the manufacturing of grain products, animal feed, and the production of HFCS.  To produce HFCS yellow dent corn is first heated and soaked in order to soften the kernels.  Following this, the corn is kernel is separated to extract the starch.  The enzyme alpha-amylase  is used to breakdown the starch into glucose.  Glucose is changed into fructose using the enzyme glucoamlyase.  Lastly, another enzyme glucose-isomerase is used to create a part glucose, part fructose mixture. The first two enzymes are naturally occurring, however, for the purpose of producing HFCS they are made in a lab from bacteria and fungi.  The third enzyme, glucose-isomerase is a synthetic enzyme.

Are you still with me?  In short, the production of sucrose is a 100% natural, mechanical process that does not employ the use of enzymes or additives. The production of HFCS is a chemical process that requires natural and synthetic enzymes.

• HFCS and sucrose are not digested in the same way.

Because your brain is probably still reeling from reading about enzymes, I won’t explain the entire digestive process to you; I’ll just point out the primary differences.

Sucrose goes through a series of processes as it is broken down in the body.  As it is absorbed sucrose requires insulin which helps the body to utilize absorbed energy from carbohydrates.  Insulin also triggers leptin, a hormone which regulates hunger and consumption, to be released. Leptin, signals to the brain when the body is full.

HFCS requires one less step than sucrose does as it is absorbed.  It also does not require insulin.  Because insulin is not used, leptin is not triggered and the body is unable to tell when it should stop eating. The lack of ability for the body to tell when it is full, coupled with fast absorption rate, creates an alluring environment for increased fat storage.

• HFCS is likely a genetically modified product.

In the United States 86% of corn produced is genetically modified (GM).  A GM food is one which has been genetically engineered to perform a certain way, in a particular environment.  Therefore, it is EXTREMELY likely (if not certain) that the corn used in the production of HFCS is in fact GM.  However, the Corn Refiners Association states that corn is not a GM food (although GM crops may be used) because  no corn DNA remains present in HFCS.

It is highly likely that HFCS begins as GM corn.  Whether or not  it truly remains a GM food after extensive processing and the removal of corn DNA to form HFCS is unconfirmed at this point in time.  I’ll let you as the reader draw your own conclusions.

• HFCS is subsidized by the government.

As corn is a government subsidized crop in the United States, one can only assume that HFCS, a direct byproduct is also subsidized.  However, the Corn Refiners Association claims that this is not the case a for the production of “HFCS”.

So… the production of corn is subsidized.  HFCS is made from subsidized corn… however, HFCS is “not” subsidized?  I’m confused. Again, I will let you as readers draw your own (obvious) conclusions.

THE RESULTS: Our body does not recognize HFCS and sucrose as they same and they are made entirely different from one another, from different plant sources.  Weighing the similarities and differences of these two products, it is safe to say that this myth is BUSTED.  While similar, HFCS and sucrose are not the same.

In closing…

According to both the American Medical Association and the American Dietetic Association, HFCS does not contribute to obesity any more than other high-sugar foods.

All of the above information aside, I do not believe that HFCS alone is to blame for America’s obesity crisis and increased incidence in diabetes, as it often associated.  Surely HFCS is a factor and I would 100% prefer for it  to not exist. However, the American diet is so heavily saturated with simple carbohydrates such as sugar, HFCS, and refined grains, as well as high fat foods, that we as a culture are in dire need of a change in what we eat.

The bottom line is that until HFCS has been around long enough for to prove if it truly is harmful or not, it is here to stay because it makes foods cheaper and easier to make.  It is up to us as consumers to make informed healthy choices.  At the end of the day, everything comes back to: consumption of a balanced, healthful, low-fat diet with lots of fruits and vegetables; 30+ minutes per day of physical activity; and consuming high-fat and high-sugar foods in moderation.

On that note, I will leave you with a short clip from one of my most favorite food documentaries King Corn and a brief interview with Curt Ellis one of the filmmakers.  I believe it sums up everything and more, far better than I ever could!

References:

• American Dietetic Association.  High fructose corn syrup and weight status.  (2008).  Retrieved from http://www.sweetsurprise.com/sites/default/files/ADAHotTopicHFCS.pdf.
• American Medical Association.  AMA finds high fructose syrup unlikely to be more harmful to health than other caloric sweeteners. (2008).  Retrieved from http://www.sweetsurprise.com/sites/default/files/AMARelease6-17-08.pdf.
• Corn Refiners Association. Sweet Surprise.  Retrieved from http://www.sweetsurprise.com.
• Diabetes Health. The Dangers of High Fructose Corn Syrup.  Retrieved from http://www.diabeteshealth.com/read/2008/08/20/4274/the-dangers-of-high-fructose-corn-syrup/.
• Heartland Science. Yellow Dent Corn. Retrieved from http://www.heartlandscience.org/agrifood/yelcorn.htm.
• Sugar Knowledge International. How Sugar is Made. Retrieved from http://www.sucrose.com/learn.html.

* Reposted from Chew With Your Mouth Open, Chelsey’s foodie blog.

The HCG is the latest and greatest diet craze to hit the scene.  I hear about it constantly from people, on the radio, in magazines… You name it, I see it.

What it is?

The hCG diet promises rapid weight loss by recommending an extremely restrictive diet of 500 calories per day.  This level is far below the minimal recommended caloric intake of 1200 calories daily.  The hCG diet is also founded upon the use of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a pregnancy hormone. HCG is injected either as a daily shot or taken as a sub-lingual tablet.  Diet promoters and developers believe that this hormone promotes fat mobilization in the body and works as an appetite suppressant; however, there is no medical or scientific evidence to back these claims.

Will you lose weight?

The hCG diet does result in weight loss because of the extremely low-calorie diet it promotes.  On only 500 calories a day, anyone will lose weight.  However, on a diet this low the body is in a constant state of starvation.  Any weight loss seen is not effective for long-term success as the body is not burning fat, but instead losing valuable muscle and protein stores.

Because of the drastically low calories consumed on this diet, when a regular diet is reintroduced, the body is literally starving for nutrients and any weight lost will be regained. Furthermore, because this diet does nothing to support behavior change for long-term weight loss success, individuals often fall right back into unhealthy eating habits contributing to further weight gain.

Reliable medical studies to date show that the effectiveness of weight loss on the hCG diet is directly related to the caloric restrictions and is not in any part due to the use of hCG.  HCG has never been proven effective for weight loss or scientifically linked to it in any way.  Most recently, in April 2011 the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published a double-blind crossover study showing that there was no statistical difference in the weight loss seen between patients using hCG and those using a placebo.

 Is it safe?

No, on both accounts.

Individuals should never consume a diet of less than 1200 calories without strict medical supervision.  A diet lower than this can trigger severe nutritional deficiencies which may lead to chronic health issues.  A diet lower than this also does not support long-term weight loss success.  The 500 calorie recommendation purposed with the hCG diet is highly unsafe.

The greater medical community does not support the use of hCG for weight loss and the FDA states that hCG and its claims are fraudulent.  It is considered an illegal dietary supplement and is not an approved homeopathic drug.  HCG is not supported as a weight loss supplement or appetite suppressant due to the lack of any supporting research.

In addition to hCG being deemed fraudulent and illegal by the FDA, because the production and sales of hCG is not monitored in any way, consumers really have no idea what they are getting in their products, or if it is safe.  You would never inject a solution or take a pill without knowing 100% that it would not cause bodily harm and that its ingredients are safe and backed by a governing body.  So why would you even consider purchasing this product and putting it into your body?

Myth busted, the hCG Diet promotes a highly unsafe diet (of less than 500 calories a day) and hCG is proven to be ineffective by medical research.

A diet for successful, long-term weight loss…

… Is a healthy one.

If you’re looking to loss weight and improve your health, follow a balanced diet containing fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and lean protein sources.  Check out The Basic 8 for more tips!

At the end of the day successful weight-loss and maintaining a healthy weight comes down to caloric balance (calories in does not exceed calories out), eating healthy, and physical activity.  Although we often want success immediately, a slow weight loss of 1-2 pounds a week is the most beneficial for long-term results.  There is no fad diet in the world than can provide the type of success which can be gained from leading a healthy lifestyle.

*Editor’s note: this article was originally published at Chelsey Lindahl’s website, Chew With Your Mouth Open.

On September 11th, 2001 I was just fifteen years old.  A busy athlete, I was listening to the radio and getting ready to start my morning training routine when I heard news of the first crash.  Initially, I was bewildered by the thought of a plane crashing into the World Trade Center.  It sounded much more like a Die Hard movie than reality.   I ran out into the living room to tell my mom what I had heard.  Instantly, confusion and concern washed over her face.  She turned on the news and I followed to watch.  For some reason I remember so well the moment when we began to watch the news, as if I were watching it happen from a distance.  I sat Indian-style on the floor, stoic and still, where I would stay for hours. Being such a young age, I was not able to conceptualize the enormity of 9/11, yet I felt the weight of its devastation on my shoulders.  My heart ached.

On this tenth anniversary, my heart still aches.  There are some wounds that can never heal.  Some wounds that bind a nation, a world, to one truth: life is precious.  On this somber anniversary I want to remember with deep love the lives that were lost, honor our heroes, and rejoice in our blessings.

For this tenth anniversary, let us celebrate life’s many miracles, our neighbors, our community, our nation.  Help a friend, call your family, volunteer at a shelter or school, take your kids to the park, or thank a soldier, police officer, or fire fighter for their service.  Practice forgiveness and release frustrations, take time to reflect and wear your heart on your sleeve.  Life is precious.

In honor of our fallen heroes, I would like to share a patriotic recipe for Red, White, and Blue Cobbler. Pick up the ingredients at your local Farmers’ Market and share it with those you love!!

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Clean and rinse fresh pears, blueberries, and strawberries.  Slice pears and strawberries.

To create first layer, lightly toss pear slices in 1 tbsp brown sugar and 1 tsp lemon juice.

Next, toss blueberries in 1 tbsp cane sugar and 1 tsp lemon juice.  Layer over pears.

Finally, toss strawberries in 1 tbsp cane sugar and 1 tsp lemon juice.  Layer over blueberries.

I prefer crumbly cobbler topping.  Unfortunately, I never measure my ingredients.  I do however use a food processor to make things easy.  Combine pecans, chilled butter (in small cubes), brown sugar, oats, and whole wheat flour in food processor until well blended, it should have the texture of bread crumbs.  Sprinkle cobbler mixture over fruit. Bake for 45 minutes.

Enjoy served hot or cold, with ice cream or whipped cream and remember it’s better enjoyed with friends.

Although summer is coming to an end, barbeques are just reaching their peak as Labor Day beckons on the horizon. The big question on many minds becomes “what dish should I bring?”!  It goes without saying that our waistlines suffer in the wake of summer events.  However, you don’t always have to sacrifice your pant size for taste (or vise-versa).

One of my go-to dishes is this Broccoli Salad.  I love that it is fairly inexpensive and easy to make, looks great in a bowl (this is very important), and is gobbled up time and time again leaving no leftovers for me to deal with.  BONUS: It is quite nutritious.

Ingredients –

• 2 heads of broccoli
• 1/4 cup thinly chopped red onion
• 1/4 cup craisins
• 1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes
• 4 ounces of 2% sharp cheddar, cubed or grated
• 1/4 cup silvered almonds, toasted
• 4 slices of bacon, crumbled
• 1/3 cup light mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• Freshly ground black pepper

Wash all produce.  Using only the flowerets, chop broccoli into bite size pieces and place into large mixing bowl.  Add onion, craisins, tomatoes, cheddar, bacon, and almonds.  To prepare dressing mix mayonnaise, vinegar and pepper together in small bowl.  Gently toss salad in dressing to coat.  Let sit overnight in fridge.  Enjoy!

Nutritional Information (per 1/2 cup serving): 104 calories, 6.5 g fat, 6.5 g carbohydrates, 1.5 g fiber, 5 g protein, 193 mg sodium.

* Recipe re-published with author’s permission.  To view original recipe and article, please visit Chew With Your Mouth Open, January 23, 2011.

In follow-up to yesterdays post, the USDA released the new MyPlate design.  In my opinion, it is safe to say that it leaves A LOT to be desired. My first reaction was… “They spent $2 million on THAT?” I work with some pretty amazing elementary and middle school students who could have done a better job at creating a design.  Seriously.

Perhaps, I am being a bit harsh.  I do recognize that being in the nutrition field I have a strong bias towards health and therefore, high expectations.   But then again, this is the USDA we’re talking about, shouldn’t they have the SAME high expectations?

The new design does communicate important information regarding proper plating and communicates strongly the importance of fruits and vegetables. Both of which are well done and based on the comprehensive 2010 US Dietary Guidelines released last January.  However, a great deal of significant and critical information that should be included is nowhere to be found.

Allow me to quickly recap my concerns, listed in yesterday’s post…

• How will whole grains be represented or communicated in a consumer friendly format? They are briefly noted in a way that the knowledgeable consumer will understand.
• Will lean protein sources (including beans and legumes) be recommended? Missing.
• Healthy fats are incredibly important to our diets, but will they be included in any way? Missing.
• How will a plate be representative of what should be eaten in a day?  And how will color blocks translate proper portion sizes? Missing.
• Will water (you know that glorious fluid which supports life) be included? Briefly communicated that water should replace sugary beverages.  What about water as an essential need?
• Will physical activity as part of a healthy lifestyle be integrated in any way? Missing.

It is sad, that without fail we can predict all that will be missing which such accuracy. I had high hopes that the new design would shed new light on proper nutrition; however, in my opinion the USDA really missed the mark.  To be fair, MyPlate is a better conceptual design than the food pyramids past.  I hope it is effective because as a nation we desperately need it to be… But sadly, instinct tells me it is the same transparent design from a new perspective.

To see the full MyPlate design and dietary recommendations visit choosemyplate.gov.

* Article re-published with author’s permission.  To view original article, please visit Chew With Your Mouth Open, June 2, 2011.