SydLexia.com - The Forums :: View topic - Food: High-Fructose Corn Syrup

Banned Joined: Sep 13 2008 Posts: 3129

This doesn't really affect me, sodas not one of the main things drunk at my house.
although I do drink a lot of coke when given the opportunity but I have an unusually high metabolism so it's all gone withing an hour.
Cheers!

Here's a toast to the high metabolism that has kept me from gaining weight all my life.

seriously though, last time I did a BMI test i was underweight for my age

Joined: Dec 06 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 11244

Hacker wrote:

This doesn't really affect me, sodas not one of the main things drunk at my house.
although I do drink a lot of coke when given the opportunity but I have an unusually high metabolism so it's all gone withing an hour.
Cheers!

Here's a toast to the high metabolism that has kept me from gaining weight all my life.

seriously though, last time I did a BMI test i was underweight for my age

Hacker, in the context of this discussion soda would be one of the worst things to consume, however it isn't the only bad thing. Also, in moderation and under certain circumstances, soda can be refreshing, delicious, and great at taking bloodstains off of asphalt. More to the point, a high metabolism just means that you burn your calories more quickly and therefore don't get obese as fast from poor food choices. It doesn't mean that you are immune to long term side effects of eating poorly, and it also doesn't mean that you will retain your high metabolism for the rest of your life. I was small until I was 28 years old. Over the last two years my metabolism has retained its speed, so my energy has maintained itself, but my body has begun to retain more fat as well. This is just the way that age works against the body. I guess my point is, don't equate two things that aren't necessarily equal.

Ash Burton wrote:

sidewaydriver wrote:

Is it possible just to live off of pills?

Sure, just add corn syrup for taste.

I gave a good laugh. I would argue that you could survive off of synthetic foods for a long time, perhaps through a normal life. I am not sure that the quality of your life would be very good though. Also you would need to drink water. There is currently no substitute for your body's need for water.

Ash Burton wrote:

All things are good in moderation, that is true. The problem though is the government allows these major companies to dump this crap into EVERYTHING. There will never, NEVER be a study that will show HFCS being good or even not harmful to you. There is a good movie on this whole thing based off of the book fast food nation. Watch this movie only if you have enough money to start shopping at local farmers markets and buying organic foods.

The Corn Refiners Association thinks HFCS is just swell for you and they like to try and twist studies to prove it. Read their take: http://www.sweetsurprise.com

I buy as much organic food as I can and eat as pure as is possible. It costs me about $250 per month for about 1800 callories per day. Some things are unafordable for me. I can't afford organic vegetables yet. 1/2 lb red peppers @ $5 vs regular red peppers at $2.29/lb. When the farmers markets open I will check them out and see what I can do, but during the winter, I just wash the veggies well. I do try to get antibiotic free chicken, wild fish, and grass fed beef. The beef is insanely expensive, so it is about 50/50 for me getting the grass fed. I don't eat out at present, so my wife and I eat $500 worth of groceries per month. My feeling is that seems reasonable and pretty close to how much we were spending when we were eating less healthy foods.

I happen to like most of what Michael Pollan has to say. He has a few quotes that seem reasonable and worthy of repetition:

* "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."
* "Don't eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize as food."
* "You are what what you eat eats."
* "Don't eat anything incapable of rotting."
* "Eat all the junk food you want as long as you cook it yourself." (Read the entire thing for the context on this one http://www.michaelpollan.com/press.php?id=105)

Posted: Mar 24 2010 01:12 pm

Ash Burton wrote:

All things are good in moderation, that is true. The problem though is the government allows these major companies to dump this crap into EVERYTHING. There will never, NEVER be a study that will show HFCS being good or even not harmful to you. There is a good movie on this whole thing based off of the book fast food nation. Watch this movie only if you have enough money to start shopping at local farmers markets and buying organic foods.

I bet those people who are so worried about preservatives and HFCS are the ones who die first. This whole organic movement is such a racket designed to dupe stupid sheeple into thinking they're being healthy, as if it makes any difference at all. I've heard and read too many stories of the daily vegetarian jogger who dropped dead at 45 from a heart attack to buy any of this nonsense. I've read too many articles about the 105 year old woman who, when asked about her secret, always replies "I love cheetos and coffee."

It's not all that shocking too that the "organic" stuff always costs twice as much as regular foods as if it were this magical food that is never unhealthy, and always tastes better. It's just ridiculous and you guys who believe in this shit need to wake up.

It really doesn't matter at all what you eat as long as you intake everything in moderation. As long as you're sensible, there's nothing wrong with preservatives, HFCS, sugar, salt, growth hormones, pesticides, etc.

Joined: Oct 01 2009 Posts: 5316

UsaSatsui wrote:

Blackout wrote:

I don't understand how they can get away with using it practically everything if it's so bad. Confused

The US produces a whooooooole lot of corn domestically. It has to import sugar cane. Do the math.

Personally, I say meh. There will be a study in 6 months saying it's fine. That's the way these things go. I would like to see real sugar come back in fashion, though. HF Corn Syrup just sucks in comparison.

Pretty much this. Expect everything to dramatically shoot up if we went back to sugar. Don't get me wrong, I would love to see it happen too. But to most people:

Price > Health

Posted: Mar 24 2010 04:43 pm

Pandajuice wrote:

I bet those people who are so worried about preservatives and HFCS are the ones who die first. This whole organic movement is such a racket designed to dupe stupid sheeple into thinking they're being healthy, as if it makes any difference at all. I've heard and read too many stories of the daily vegetarian jogger who dropped dead at 45 from a heart attack to buy any of this nonsense. I've read too many articles about the 105 year old woman who, when asked about her secret, always replies "I love cheetos and coffee."

It's not all that shocking too that the "organic" stuff always costs twice as much as regular foods as if it were this magical food that is never unhealthy, and always tastes better. It's just ridiculous and you guys who believe in this shit need to wake up.

It really doesn't matter at all what you eat as long as you intake everything in moderation. As long as you're sensible, there's nothing wrong with preservatives, HFCS, sugar, salt, growth hormones, pesticides, etc.

So, if you smoke just a little then theres no need to worry? Hey, remember Uncle Joe? He smoked 2 packs a day and lived to be 90! Moderation is key, but not with poison. I'll be the sheep feeding my daughter organic food, You can be the sheep feeding your kids McDonald's. I can live with that.

Posted: Mar 24 2010 05:31 pm

I'm just gonna stick with feeding my kids lies.

Posted: Mar 24 2010 05:45 pm

Ash Burton wrote:

Moderation is key, but not with poison. I'll be the sheep feeding my daughter organic food, You can be the sheep feeding your kids McDonald's. I can live with that.

Yeah, pretty much this. I was one of those people who didn't really care what they ate--not to mention being irrevocably addicted to fast food. Recently it was necessary for me to loose quite a bit of weight and body fat. So I simply forced myself to stop eating out, and focused on eating more healthy, raw (if not officially organic) foods. Dropped something like 25lbs in two months, felt great, and aced the PFT we had on Tuesday.

Now here's the funny part. Even though I've pretty much kicked the fast food craving I used to be subject to, I treated myself to my favorite, Jack in the Box, for lunch that day as a reward. Tasted great, but about half an hour later, I started feeling like crap--sluggish, tired, and just generally ugh. It was a feeling I hadn't had since I kicked the fast food habit. Finally went away this morning, after spending most of yesterday trying to flush the crap out of my system by drinking tons of water.

Moral of the story and tl:dr: what you eat DOES make a difference in your health, and how you feel. Just because certain individuals (like your jogger and grandma examples, Panda) are exceptions doesn't mean the idea of eating well is bunk. And while I do agree that "organic" is much more a marketing tool at this point than an actual indicator of increased nutrition and safety, I think the organic food movement as a whole is a good thing. Anything that pushes companies to consider NOT saturating my food with pesticide and unnecessary flavorings and additives is a step in the right direction in my book.

Posted: Mar 24 2010 06:03 pm

Jack in the Box is my favorite too! Have you tried those grilled deli sandwhiches? The turkey, bacon, and chedder is amazing.

Posted: Mar 24 2010 06:43 pm

In and Out Burger is my vice. Organic food is great, expensive as it is I only believe it to be a gimmick if you are buying ridiculous things like organic frozen pizza. You don't have to eat everything organic, but I try to focus on the items that contain the most toxins. I. E. Potatoes, Tomatoes, Beef, Poultry, Milk & Eggs. Most other vegetables can be washed and are fine in a non-organic form.

Posted: Mar 24 2010 06:53 pm

Jumping in kind of late again, but who the hell doesn't like a giant pitcher of ice water on a hot day? Yeah soda is tasty, but it doesn't compare to water.

Posted: Mar 24 2010 06:55 pm

Blackout wrote:

...who the hell doesn't like a giant pitcher of ice water on a hot day?

Most Americans.

Posted: Mar 24 2010 07:24 pm

There's something to be said for learning how to like the taste of real food. My dad puts so much salt on his food that you can't even tell what the hell he's eating. If you keep your seasonings to a minimum (the unhealthy ones, at least) you'll learn to love how real food tastes.

I can't eat sugar anymore, it upsets my stomach.

Posted: Mar 24 2010 07:26 pm

Ash Burton wrote:

In and Out Burger is my vice. Organic food is great, expensive as it is I only believe it to be a gimmick if you are buying ridiculous things like organic frozen pizza. You don't have to eat everything organic, but I try to focus on the items that contain the most toxins. I. E. Potatoes, Tomatoes, Beef, Poultry, Milk & Eggs. Most other vegetables can be washed and are fine in a non-organic form.

I'm with you on this. I eat a lot of yams. The organic yams are always larger and look significantly better than the ones in the "regular" bin. I don't know if looks really count for much, but the nice round ones with clear skin sure look a lot more appetizing.

Posted: Mar 24 2010 07:27 pm

Ice2SeeYou wrote:

There's something to be said for learning how to like the taste of real food. My dad puts so much salt on his food that you can't even tell what the hell he's eating. If you keep your seasonings to a minimum (the unhealthy ones, at least) you'll learn to love how real food tastes.

I can't eat sugar anymore, it upsets my stomach.

Does he smoke? I knew a dude who smoked a pipe and the bastard poured salt and pepper on everything, a literal mound of it.

Posted: Mar 24 2010 09:02 pm

Blackout wrote:

Jumping in kind of late again, but who the hell doesn't like a giant pitcher of ice water on a hot day? Yeah soda is tasty, but it doesn't compare to water.

I would most definitely prefer water over soda on a hot day. Sweet liquids never really quench my thirst. I really don't have much of a sweet tooth though, and I only drink about three or four sodas a month on average. My preference is tea, black coffee, or water.

Posted: Mar 24 2010 09:12 pm

a cold beer feels more satisfying, even though it doesnt refresh your body at all.

Posted: Mar 24 2010 09:48 pm

Yes, drinking beer most certainly does not rehydrate. Sadly no

Posted: Mar 24 2010 10:33 pm

Blackout wrote:

Yes, drinking beer most certainly does not rehydrate. Sadly no

but a cold Tecate after being out in the hot sun tastes so good

Posted: Mar 24 2010 10:44 pm

I like to drink a nice tall glass of maple syrup on hot summer days.

Posted: Mar 24 2010 10:48 pm

sidewaydriver wrote:

I like to drink a nice tall glass of maple syrup on hot summer days.

Sounds expensive.

Joined: Dec 06 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 11244

sidewaydriver wrote:

I like to drink a nice tall glass of maple syrup on hot summer days.

Grade B I hope?

Joined: Apr 09 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 3112

SoldierHawk wrote:

Now here's the funny part. Even though I've pretty much kicked the fast food craving I used to be subject to, I treated myself to my favorite, Jack in the Box, for lunch that day as a reward. Tasted great, but about half an hour later, I started feeling like crap--sluggish, tired, and just generally ugh. It was a feeling I hadn't had since I kicked the fast food habit. Finally went away this morning, after spending most of yesterday trying to flush the crap out of my system by drinking tons of water.

Reminds me of the second season of Survivor, where they were eating nothing but rice and coconuts, then they were given stuff like hamburgers, Doritos, and french fries, and it was such a shock to their system that they couldn't stop crapping.

I'm a former vegetarian (I only eat fish now for the Omegas), and even then I'm not big on forcing people to eat like me. I eat some unhealthy stuff (I can tear through a pack of Oreos when I'm high), but the fact that people are unwittingly stuffing themselves with pesticides and chemicals without most of the world knowing the effects of said substances is just unsettling to me. We're passing on unhealthy habits to our children, leading to a drastic rise in child obesity and diabetes cases. I'm all for a national healthcare system if we ban some of the disgusting shit that's inserted into our food.

Posted: Mar 25 2010 12:46 am

^ A more extreme example of that phenomenon: I went to the University of Alaska at Fairbanks. Because of the fact its the only major university in the central part of the (HUGE) state, its the default place for most locals to go, including many native Alaskans who had spent most of their lives in small hunting/fishing villages.

When they come to the University and have their first taste of dining hall food (the usual pizza, hamburgers, etc) most of them get unbelievably sick, because they're used to eating only very fresh, completely unprocessed food. The problem got so bad that by the time I was there, they actually had special "native diet transition programs" where they provided the kids with different kinds of food so their bodies could adjust and they could stay healthy. Crazy.

Joined: Oct 01 2009 Posts: 5316

sidewaydriver wrote:

I like to drink a nice tall glass of maple syrup on hot summer days.

I thought it was impossible to do this after seeing Super Troopers. Surprisingly, I tried it with a friend and we both pulled if off, but yeah...lots of milk afterwards.

Joined: Apr 09 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 3112

SoldierHawk wrote:

^ A more extreme example of that phenomenon: I went to the University of Alaska at Fairbanks. Because of the fact its the only major university in the central part of the (HUGE) state, its the default place for most locals to go, including many native Alaskans who had spent most of their lives in small hunting/fishing villages.

When they come to the University and have their first taste of dining hall food (the usual pizza, hamburgers, etc) most of them get unbelievably sick, because they're used to eating only very fresh, completely unprocessed food. The problem got so bad that by the time I was there, they actually had special "native diet transition programs" where they provided the kids with different kinds of food so their bodies could adjust and they could stay healthy. Crazy.

That's actually pretty common. I think we have something like that here at Penn State, otherwise you'll end up like the Chinese kid at our restaurant, and eat a strip steak, and two slices of triple chocolate cake (he'd never had chocolate before), and the very next day look like he had an alien trying to burst out his stomach.