# Giving up HFCS **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 21, 2011, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-up-hfcs/579275 "2011-04-21T19:59:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2011, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-up-hfcs/579275/21 "2011-04-23T14:03:54Z")
I found value in looking for it on labels, and then noticing what was in its place if HFCS **wasn’t** there. You’ll quickly find that there are a whole lot of sweeteners in our food! Usually the position on the ingredients list (which shows the proportion by… weight? volume?) will at least give you an idea how much there is - a cereal in which sugar beats flour is kind of scary, but a bread where sugar doesn’t show up until right before assorted preservatives/vitamin supplementation probably only used it as a “food” for the yeast. As I and others mentioned before, there are lots of sneaky ways to mention what’s essentially sugar of one form or another. Dehydrated cane juice = cane sugar. Corn sugar is a new euphemism for corn syrup; being a homebrewer I’m used to “corn sugar” being [pure powdered dextrose](http://morebeer.com/view_product/15466/102195/Corn_Sugar_4_oz), not a fructose/glucose blend. Agave syrup, fruit juice concentrates - there are all sorts of ways to sneak concentrated sugar into food and try to make it sound more appealing. So there’s nothing inherently wrong in trying to avoid HFCS for a while, as long as you learn from the process that it’s not the HFCS per se that’s the problem. It’s all part of the food industry that markets food to us. I’ll recommend Michael Pollan’s **In Defense of Food** as a good, fairly quick read for people who want to think more about the food they’re buying and what goes into it. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2011, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-up-hfcs/579275/22 "2011-04-23T15:09:03Z")
Here’s the \*really \*simple way to reduce / eliminate excess sugar / HFCS: Look at the product. If it has an ingredient list, don’t buy it. And don’t bake sweets. Baking bread is fine; baking a cake isn’t. Fresh fruits, fresh or frozen veg, critter flesh, dairy, and simple spices & condiments are all it takes to have a complete & processed-free diet. ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2011, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-up-hfcs/579275/23 "2011-04-23T15:16:50Z")
My tip is to stop worrying about HFCS - it’s 55% fructose/45% glucose as opposed to table sugar which is 50/50. Both excess fructose in the diet, and excess dietary carbohydrate, is hard on your health, but the extra 5% fructose from drinking soda made HFCS instead of with ‘all natural cane sugar’ is inconsequential. Attempting to keep the total amount of sugars in your diet within healthy limits is a great idea. But don’t forget that even home-made bread, pasta, potatoes, fruits etc are mainly calories from sugars too. Best way to do it to mostly eat real, whole food that isn’t sold in a package and doesn’t come with a a label detailing multiple ingredients, with plenty of proteins and plenty of natural fats. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2011, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-up-hfcs/579275/24 "2011-04-23T15:25:33Z")
The basis for avoiding HFCS in particular, relative to other sugars, is flavor. ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2011, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-up-hfcs/579275/25 "2011-04-23T16:00:31Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > Corn sugar is a new euphemism for corn syrup; being a homebrewer I’m used to “corn sugar” being pure powdered dextrose, not a fructose/glucose blend. Actually, corn sugar is a new euphemism for **high-fructose** corn syrup. As I mentioned up-thread, regular corn syrup (like Caro brand) is almost pure glucose with no fructose. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2011, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-up-hfcs/579275/26 "2011-04-23T16:02:20Z")
If you drink soda Pesi’s throwback is now permanent. It’s made with real sugar and not HFCS, and tastes oh so much better. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2011, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-up-hfcs/579275/27 "2011-04-23T16:47:38Z")
> [@voltaire](#): > > Actually, corn sugar is a new euphemism for **high-fructose** corn syrup. As I mentioned up-thread, regular corn syrup (like Caro brand) is almost pure glucose with no fructose. Yeah, my mistake - meant to type that acronym again and forgot while I was looking for a link. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2011, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-up-hfcs/579275/28 "2011-04-23T16:54:00Z")
> [@spark240](#): > > The basis for avoiding HFCS in particular, relative to other sugars, is flavor. Is that true? What IS the difference in taste, really? I mean is it sweeter, less sweet, etc? ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2011, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-up-hfcs/579275/29 "2011-04-23T17:18:41Z")
> [@gumpy3885](#): > > I’m going to try to avoid packaged foods that have a large percentage of added sugar to the ingredients. Be on the watch for "[Evaporated cane juice"](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugarcane_juice) in the ingredients too - it too is an added sugar. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2011, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-up-hfcs/579275/30 "2011-04-23T17:40:23Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > > [@spark240](#): > > > > The basis for avoiding HFCS in particular, relative to other sugars, is flavor. > > Is that true? What IS the difference in taste, really? I mean is it sweeter, less sweet, etc? People experience tastes different ways. A previous thread on HFCS vs. cane sugar Coca-Cola: **[So why DOES Mexican Coca Cola taste different?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=550364)** For me personally, I want to say HFCS seems sweeter, cloying, but it may be more a matter of the character of the sweetness. HFCS sweetness seems heavier, more “filling” and “coating” the mouth, and simpler, drowning out other flavors. Cane sugar seems livelier, or just seems to let other flavors through more distinctly. The best anyone can tell you, really, is to do a fair comparison for yourself. For home cooking, I find turbinado and Demerara type cane sugars are better still, adding a little more complexity and depth that neither corn syrup nor refined-white cane sugar products carry. The degree of difference varies depending on what you’re making, though. My point, though, is that it’s a matter of taste, not nutrition and health. Except that usually any impulse to eat better and cook more for yourself is good. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2011, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-up-hfcs/579275/31 "2011-04-24T02:20:39Z")
> [@gumpy3885](#): > > After hearing and reading about the dangers of High Fructose Corn Syrup and Sucrose, I’m ready to take the plunge and eliminate them from my diet. What have you been reading? ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-up-hfcs/579275/32 "2011-04-25T02:28:48Z")
I’ve said this before: [Alan Aragon](http://www.alanaragon.com/) would make a great Doper. Anyone that’s concerned about the supposed dangers of HFCS will find the following educational. > **[The bitter truth about fructose alarmism. | Alan Aragon's Blog](https://www.alanaragonblog.com/2010/01/29/the-bitter-truth-about-fructose-alarmism/)** > **[A retrospective of the fructose alarmism debate. | Alan Aragon's Blog](https://www.alanaragonblog.com/2010/02/19/a-retrospective-of-the-fructose-alarmism-debate/)** ---
**Author:** ![kapri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4491bb/32.png) [@kapri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kapri)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-up-hfcs/579275/33 "2011-04-25T03:51:16Z")
For all intents and purposes I eliminated HFCS and corn syrup in general from my diet about a year ago. Yes, I know sugar is sugar, but so many things contain corn syrup, often for no good reason. I started reading labels and was surprised to see it in “foods” that had no business having added sugar. Sometimes I still eat foods that contain corn syrup, but very rarely, and now I am aware when I do. My reason for going off it was, bottom line, to eat better and to see if eliminating it would lessen my craving for super-sugary foods such as jelly beans, Skittles, and Mike & Ike’s. And you know what? It did. I would say my cravings for sweet foods have gone down by more than half, and nowadays when I eat something sugary, it tastes **sweet** –almost unbearably so. HFCS is in so many foods that I think it makes us crave more and more of it. Now when I want something sweet I have an apple. Yes, I know apples contain fructose, but they aren’t super sugary sweet like, say, jelly beans. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-up-hfcs/579275/34 "2011-04-25T04:04:00Z")
> [@kapri](#): > > Yes, I know sugar is sugar, but so many things contain corn syrup, often for no good reason. I started reading labels and was surprised to see it in “foods” that had no business having added sugar. Like ketchup and lunchmeat? ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-up-hfcs/579275/35 "2011-04-25T05:24:22Z")
> [@SeaDragonTattoo](#): > > Part of the reason many people shop at Whole Foods is because of the [unacceptable ingredients list](http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/products/unacceptable-ingredients.php). Is there a way to find out why those are unacceptable other than Googling each one? ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-up-hfcs/579275/36 "2011-04-25T05:57:15Z")
> [@curlcoat](#): > > Is there a way to find out why those are unacceptable other than Googling each one? I don’t think so. I only ever checked the list for the specific thing I was looking out for and figure the rest is similar stuff, mostly preservatives and sugar/artificial sugar derivatives. Though there are some generally believed “bad for you” things that many people debate, like MSG, I think WF just keeps them out because so many object and why take the risk. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-up-hfcs/579275/37 "2011-04-25T10:02:43Z")
> [@RndmTaco](#): > > Most bread (like wonder bread, etc) has HFCS in it. Oh, and so does ketchup. And a million other things, the stuff is impossible to stay away from > [@amarinth](#): > > I did that for lent last year or the year before. > > There’s a lot of HFCS in places you wouldn’t think to look. So look. Read a lot of labels. You’ll be surprised at how much is out there where you wouldn’t expect it. That’s what makes “moderation” so tricky. It’s so ubiquitous it’s hard to moderate. You avoid them by assiduously reading labels and frequently making stuff at home instead of buying it. HFCS is a known migraine trigger for me, so I avoid it entirely. American processed foods are so damned sweet, I see absolutely no reason a classic vinaigrette dressing should have HFCS [or even sugar other than the naturally occurring sugars in wine vinegar] in it. I see no reason to pour it into soups, breads, or anything that is not supposed to be sweet … ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-up-hfcs/579275/38 "2011-04-29T01:20:29Z")
Extra sugars are in everything they’ve taken fat out of. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-up-hfcs/579275.md?page=1)