So I cut out fruit snacks, most candies, any non-100%-juice beverages, and sugar cereals. We already don't drink soda (just in case you didn't know that...) so I figured I had most of the culprits at bay.
HA!
Who knew? I was eating Kellog's Smart Start cereal for breakfast the other day. A nice, healthy, whole-grain cereal. I checked the ingredients, and there was high fructose corn syrup!
The past 2 times I've been grocery shopping, I've checked the ingredients on any pre-packaged foods. You cannot imagine how many foods contain this stuff! It's about as easy to avoid as water.
So why has it become the recent whipping boy of additives? From what I can tell, it seems to be high in calories and low in nutritional content. The Mayo Clinic has this to say: "High-fructose corn syrup is made by changing the sugar (glucose) in cornstarch to fructose — another form of sugar. The end product is a combination of fructose and glucose. Because it extends the shelf life of processed foods and is cheaper than sugar, high-fructose corn syrup has become a popular ingredient in many sodas, fruit-flavored drinks and other processed foods." (Don't expect APA citation here...) These factors cause increased weight gain, which as we all know can lead to obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. I also read that this type of sugar stimulates the need for more, which leads to addictive eating behaviors. I can totally get on board with that one. Lastly, I read here that when consumed in excess (which pretty much is a problem for more of us than we realize) your liver cannot handle it, and throws it back into your system, causing intestinal issues. (If you're really interested, you can read the lab report detailing results of a study on HFCS here.)
But what about behavior? I can see where having constant intestinal issues could make you cranky and make it difficult to be good. But I can't seem to find any solid research on HFCS's effects on behavior. I've read that it can contribute to hyperactivity, aggravate ADHD symptoms, or "have effects on behavior." I just can't seem to find any solid research explaining how and why. I mean, the research is there on the obesity aspect. And I stand behind that 100%. But does anybody have any information on HFCS's link to to behavior issues??? Have you tried naturalizing yours or your family's diet at all? I'm not talking nutritarian here (sorry, Robin!). Just a general stab at cutting unnecessary junk out of your menu... primarily high fructose corn syrup. Hook a sista up with some info...
15 comments:
People look at the obesity problems of the poor and assume they are fat because they are lazy and do not work. The reality is that cheap food with HFCS is fattening, messes with your metabolism of carbohydrates, and is easily accessible. If it were a drug it would be taken off the market but because it's about economics (both business and consumer) it will not be completely removed. Where the behavioral aspect comes in is : you know what happens to children after Halloween..just try getting the wiggly, wriggly things to pay attention! Giving sugar to a "sensitive" child revs up his brain to warp speed and his body too! HFCS is sugar, plain and simple. I do not think we can avoid it entirely though people on strictly organic diets claim they can. We can limit our consumption and eat more fresh fruits and vegies, find ways to make our own whole grain cereals (Make a Mix Cooking...I loved those books and used them a lot) Fast food and food additives are contributing to the desperately ill younger people (40's and 50's) that I am seeing in my ICU everyday! Good luck!
http://processedkids.blogspot.com/2010/03/high-fructose-corn-syrup-and.html
Here is a blog post about a woman that took her son off of high fructose corn syrup for behavior issues...
If it didn't work, I will try and e-mail it to you. I still can't link in blogs.
I am on a diet again. (So, what else is new?) I just bought some cereal yesterday that had fiber and nuts in it, in hopes that it will help me feel less hungry. I did not even think to check the high fructose corn syrup content. I'ts loaded. No wonder I never lose weight. I shoot myself in the foot when I don't check things like that out. Thanks for this post.
Surprise! You totally knew I woud comment right?
Could there be a link between the excess sugar and the stimulation it causes? I rarely eat anything with sugar, especially hfcs but when i do eat it I feel agitated, grumpy and kinda sick for a few hours. If our diets are loaded with hfcs (and they are) we hardly even recognize that we are in a constant state of agitation/fatigue. Imagine what it does to a child's body!
Eating low on the food chain - you know, fruits and veggies, grains and beans, seeds and nuts - prepared simply not only tastes good, but there are no additives like hfcs (and that is only one of many things added to our food that affects us).
Favorite after school snack so far: bananas dipped in Costco's organic peanut butter!
I'm SOOOO impressed you've looked that hard.
I've heard the rumors (and I'm an anti-soda chick myself.. high-five.)
BUT, unlike your pro-active self, haven't researched the facts.
More power to ya.
Yes. I try hard, but candy is a conspiracy. It's not like I want to completely avoid sugar, I just want to mostly have my children eat from scratch, you know stay away from man made crap. But people want to give my kids candy everywhere. I've always said the only way to avoid candy is to not only be a hermit but also a Jehovah's witness. So needless to say I have no serious control group going on here. It's not a very scientific process. The only thing I really can control is what I eat and I do notice a difference when I eat natural.
One thing I will say is that Norah was tutored by my assistant camp director this summer and she was a wealth of information, she taught at a school in California that was for children with learning disabilities. Anyway, she herself has dyslexia and an auditory processing disorder and she stays away from high fructose corn syrup because she says she notices a huge difference in her ability to stay on task when she eats processed foods.
I don't know, I think cures are individual, but it's fairly intuitive to stick with what nature has provided for my nourishment as opposed to what man has constructed in a lab.
Sorry for the book.
I think HFCS is probably the devil. Which is why I choose to stick to REAL sugar.
Ask me again why my bum is so big?
I think this is a fascinating subject. I'll bet in the next few years there will be a lot more research out.
I will just say this. Everything in moderation :-)
I know you appreciate my well thought, untimely, genius advice.
I haven't found any research either! I do know that when Jax has too much sugar it makes him cranky and mean. We really have to watch what he eats...
Sorry sista, I don't have any answers for the behavior issues-all I know is that I lost 14 lbs in 6 months from cutting sugar out of my diet 5 days a week and exercising too. HFCS IS in most of what we eat-its time to get back to basics. Unfortunately that means more time in the kitchen and I hate cleaning up! Watch the movies Food Inc and King Corn-facinating movies. They didn't totally change my ways but I think before I buy now.
I came back because I remember a study I heard on NPR a few years ago about how sugar doesn't actually cause any sort of hyperactivity in children. But I do think that there are natural and unnatural substances that effect people differently and augment weaknesses.
It is so frustrating isn't it? We live in a world of CRAP and it is hard to escape it. If you do find more info I'd love to hear it. (And hate it too. Cause sometimes ignorance is bliss, you know?) I wish I lived at Robin's house. I want to live like her, but can't bring myself to do it. Why oh why can't I? Probably because HFCS is truly like a drug. So scary.
Hey Andrea-
Thanks for your comment on our blog...I have to confess that I blog stalk you from time to time when I see you on Tiff's blog. You crack me up! You are sweet to think of us.
Amanda
Well, I can't seem to find the research on it. But I do know it exists because I researched it several years ago. When Sarah was receiving Behavior Therapy for her BEHAVIOR issues I think it was her therapist that first mentioned something about HFCS in her diet. The only food she really ever consumed was Nestle chocolate milk and rice krispies cereal. Low and behold the chocolate milk has a ton of high fructose corn syrup. I don't know the scientific way to put this, but basically it was as if she was on crack-cocaine. It was a never ending cycle. The more HFCS she consumed, the more she craved. The more she actually consumed, the worse her behavior was. Needless to say, we removed chocolate milk from our house and many of the other HFCS culprits. It was PURE HELL those first couple of weeks. We don't have a HFCS-free household, but ever since we have cut down dramatically on the HFCS consumption, Sarah's behavior is WAY better. For the behavior, Sarah's therapists and neurologist suggested a gluten-free diet. Something else for you to research. :0)
Liz is right you should watch food inc. It is right up your ally, it would be fun to watch it with you just to hear/watch your reaction. I have a feeling a few *%$&'s would fly.
I believe in this. I hate HFCS...but my behavior-challenged child is addicted to processed food. I am trying SOOOO hard, but he is the kind who would rather not eat than eat healthy.
Post recipes that work for you guys, k?!!
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