High Fructose Corn Syrup Is Everywhere!
Most people have heard of high fructose corn syrup, and most have heard it's good for you. But can you explain exactly why it's bad? Do you know where it comes from? Why exactly is high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS)? It is a sweetener that comes from corn that has been refined for meal, oil, and syrup. High fructose corn syrup is used in almost every processed food on the market, and helps to preserve foods. Doesn't sound that bad, right?
Well, on paper, it isn't that bad. It's cheaper than sugar, has about the same number of calories, and allows food to sit on the shelf for longer because it doesn't absorb moisture like real sugar. The problem is that it is much sweeter than sugar, and has infiltrated the marketplace. High fructose corn syrup is obviously in soft drinks and juices, packaged pastries, and candies, but did you know that many breads, sauces, cereals, condiments, and frozen dinners have HFCS too?
Many experts say that our national obesity problem can be linked to how much high fructose corny syrup we currently ingest. Also, studies show that consuming HFCS also leads to diabetes and high cholesterol. 
The development of HFCS began in the 1970s, when the American government was trying to help farmers use their excess corn. Not coincidentally, this was right around the time that the obesity epidemic started. There is no definitive research yet that proves this to be the case, and there are several theories on why exactly HFCS is so bad for your body. One theory says that fructose converts to fat easier than regular sucrose (sugar), which means there is more fat in your bloodstream. Other theories suggest that it's just the quantity of HFCS that we consume. Considering the fact that so many foods have it in them, this is a great possibility. In addition, HFCS is bad for the environment. The corn used to make HFCS is the kind that is grown in massive fields, and it causes soil erosion and nutrient depletion. Tons of pesticides and fertilizers are used to alleviate problems, which further exacerbates the environmental issues. Corn uses more chemicals than other crops.
Some evidence of the environmental destruction done by HFCS is in the Gulf of Mexico. The corn growing Mid West leaches chemicals into the Mississippi River, and that flows all the way down to the gulf, where there is a huge dead zone. No animals or plants live in that area, and you can actually see a difference in the color of the water. There is just no oxygen in the dead zone for living beings to use to survive. The government also subsidizes corn farmers, so that makes it even cheaper and easier to sell. Also, there are tariffs set to make importing sugar more expensive. It seems like the government wants Americans to eat HFCS. The Corn Refiners Assocation started a commercial attack on the public concern about the unhealthiness of HFCS during August 2008. Their contention is that HFCS is as natural as sugar and honey, even though it doesn't occur in nature. The president of the Association said that HFCS has the same number of calories and is treated by the body as the same.
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