Corn Queen
I'm trying to write a post about corn. A serious post. One that will start an epidemic of massive proportions and everyone in the tri-state region will want to change the way they eat for now and forever amen.
But, then my sister posted this. And how can you ever look me in the blog and take me seriously after watching that?
Listen. I need to tell you something. I, I, I, I was a cheerleader. And....and I still am. I use my old cheers to motivate my family. It's kinda like yelling at them, but with clapping and hopping incorporated. It's just a small piece of what's leftover from my strange and bizarre childhood. There will never be another cheerleader in my house. My daughter would rather shave her head and squirt cheeze whiz up her nose than be a cheerleader and the boys, well.....no, they won't be doing any cheering unless it's from a couch or sitting on a bench court side.
Now, back to corn. I've been trying to eliminate high fructose corn syrup from my diet ever since I watched King Corn. This documentary is quite an eye popping, head whacking, heart wrenching, gut gurgling dose of education. Please, find a way to watch it, please.
Why high fructose corn syrup? Because, when I saw what it took to make it.....uh, wow. Why do we eat this stuff? Why? It's in everything and it's not even a real food. It's a synthetic liquid that we pump into everything that goes into our mouth. You know why? Because it's cheap. CHEAP. But, what is our health worth? If we got rid of HFCS would we see a decline in type II diabetes? Hmmm, just wonderin'.
So, who's up for a challenge? Huh? Who's been living without corn syrup? Tell me about it. Who wants to start? You? You? Yes, you in the back. Okay, let's start with reading labels. No HFCS. Can we go a week? Let's try. Ready, set, go.
Need some inspiration? Go to youtube.com and search king corn and watch all the videos.
Okay, now go one and get yourself some edgecatin' about that there high fructose corny slurp.
35 comments:
Ok, I'm with you! I've been trying to not eat it ever since I read about it in "The Omnivore's Dilemma." I think it must have some of the same information as "King Corn." Oh, but I read it in a book, as opposed to learning about it in a movie, which makes me waaay more scholarly..... even though I was a cheerleader too :)
I used to watch a show on PBS called Zonya's Health Bites and she is the one who told me all about high fructose corn syrup. I could NOT believe it when I saw a commercial Sunday night involving a Popsicle and two nitwits trying to say the stuff was juuuuuuuust fine to eat... in moderation. Talk about propaganda! I will keep an eye out for King Corn on my local PBS channel. Keep fighting the good fight April!
Erin from Iowa
Imagine my shock when I discovered it in my beloved Miracle Whip! Hell is what a sandwich is without the tasty zip or Miracle Whip. But I don't use it anymore, sigh. And finding yogurt without it is expensive.
Buuuuutttttt, c'mon...I grew up pouring Karo corn syrup on my vanilla ice cream and washing it all down with a coca cola in a glass bottle...but I need to be educated and I want to try to change my old ways. I am on board to learn. Loved the video, BTW...you were a great cheerleader.
It's in my Netflix que. Guess I should move it up.
Have you seen the ads put out by the Corn Refiners Association? They're in magazines and on tv. Go to www.sweetsurprise.com.
Gimme an H!
Gimme an F!
Gimme a C!
Gimme an S!
What's that spell? I wasn't born yesterday. That stuff you're calling "natural" is not found in nature!
I'm in. My family doctor actually warned me about HFCS.
Miss Munchkin heard you cheering this morning from her bed in the other room and she said, "Mom, would you turn that DOWN?" She can't have any spunk before 10 am. :)
I have no comment on the corn syrup and the King Korn, you all lost me there. I couldn't get past the cheering video and your sis's laugh.
Good for you, April. There is a lot more in the American diet that can be done away with. Keep up the good work. Once you start emlinating the junk from your diet, your body will thank you, and it will never want to go back.
I totally agree... 'tis nasty stuff! And you know, it is really not as hard as you might think to avoid it in your foods - although you might have to give up some of the convenience foods that are so bad for you anyway... and remember, corn syrup is not the same as High Fructose corn syrup
We try to avoid HFCS too. I have been an avid label reader since I was a kid - my mom had severe food allergies. It's very enlightening. Did you know that Campbells and Progresso soups have MSG? Did you know Toaster Strudels and some Sara Lee sandwich breads have Splenda?
~the Other
But! But! But! I just discovered the joy of McDonald's Sweet & Sour sauce!
Weren't you so much happier in life before you watched those videos? It seems like everything's bad for you. Except broccoli. I've never heard anything about the dangers of broccoli. Maybe I should look into it.
USDA has eliminated HFCS from the food package we give out to Native American families in order to try to reduce diabetes. I think it's working, however MY BLOOD PRESSURE has gone sky high with the complaining I hear daily about the lack of corn syrup. Guess someone's getting healthy....just not me!
I've been trying to live HFCS free for a few years now. It seems to be in everything but if you look carefully enough, you can find yummy food without it. Here's to eating healtier!
First of all . . . you go girl! What an inspiring cheer and the look on that poor man's face! Priceless!
My mother (a chemist and nutrionist) has been warning us about high fructose corn syrup for several years now. We've been trying to cut it from our diets...but as you may have noticed it's in a lot of stuff. They sneak it into things that you wouldn't normally think about...like ketchup! Go ahead - check your ketchup bottle!
We're working on it at our house. It is in everything! FYI ... the only ketchup I've found withuot it is Del Monte. That's the kind my Grandmommy used and that's what we use too!
Sigh, woke up this morning without a care in the world. Just went through my cupboards - corn syrup is everywhere!!! Somebody mentioned broccoli never being declared a danger. What about brussel sprouts? Surely the smell of them cooking can be declared harmful and noxious??
You know what they say about high fructose corn syrup...
What?
Uh...
That it's made from corn? That it's natural? That like table sugar and honey it's fine when used in moderation?
Oh...
Hahahaha! Just kidding. Have you seen those commercials though? I'd seen them without hearing a word they said or paying attention to what the commercials were for until someone pointed them out to me. How ridiculous.
Anyway, I thought I was fairly cautious, but the yogurt? Dang. I'm going to check my cabinets and fridge this afternoon and see just how less than careful I've been.
BTW, I came here earlier and clicked away to watch the cheer. I laughed my rear end right off, so thank you for that. Please post more, there's still too much back there. My 16yodd came up behind me and said, "Oh my gawd! What's she doing? Is she on crack?" To which I responded, "Give me a M! Give me an O! Give me a V! Give me an E! What's that spell? Moooove! Move on out that door! Moooove!" She ran away frightened and screaming, but it got her out the door and to her doctor appointment on time. I never was a cheerleader, but I may have to use this motivational technique more often.
i have been avoiding not only hfcs but aspartame also. talk about scary. i don't have the video on that anymore, but try googling it, maybe you can find the true info on aspartame which is another government coverup and big business propaganda(they knew it was bad before they released it back in the late
'80's)
I can see I'm going to need some edumacation about HFCS. And I need to look at the labels to see what all it is in. If anything, I'm sure I can cut down if not cut it out...I think.
Thanks for the head's up.
AND, I saw that video on your sister's site. Had my laughing hysterically with her. You are such a goofball!
yep it's true, your preachin to the choir now. not only diabetes, but obesity, CAD, and cancer. All of it is bad. The average American eats 11 pounds of chemicals per year. Put that in your pipe and smoke it!
Oh Yes. Totally agree, I haven't seen "king Corn" but have done lots of other reading on the subject. All you have to do is avoid processed foods in general (which are bad for you - in general!) and you'll avoid most of the HFCS. My mom is allergic to corn and has found out how difficult it is to avoid if you like to eat processed foods, which she does.
The latest commercials on TV making people who avoid HFCS look stupid are maddening. Yea. Do your research like they suggest. There is lots of evidence how corn syrup disrupts blood sugar/insulin levels and contributes to poor health.
Thanks for bringing it up, April!
Update: Yay! No HFCS in my Yoplait Digestive Health Yogurt! You really needed to know that, didn't you?
Pleeeease tell me that coffee does not have corn in it?!
By the way, your cheering skills are enviable.
I'm with you! We've been avoiding HFCS for about a year now...it's in ketchup, spaghetti sauce, yogurt, bread, snack foods, canned soups (which also contain msg), salad dressings, and the list goes on! We've had to go organic on many products simply to avoid the HFCS. Recently I was thinking of trying to find a resource to explain to someone why we don't "do" HFCS, and didn't know where to turn...thanks for the info on King Corn!
Well that cheer was a little corny! Nice of your sis to capture you, and giggle through the whole thing!! Corn is evil..but I just love corn on the cob, dripping with butter..ah butter no Corn Syrup there!! :)
Yes! on avoiding HFCS (and ALL commercial corn in general because it's GMO and that's just as bad. Do some Youtubing on that, too.)
Also, siltedrepose-- broccoli is goitrogenic when raw... steam for best nutrition! :-)
Great post!
I've been trying to eliminate hfcs and corn by products in our diet for over a year. There are seven in my family. It is a very difficult thing to do because there is so much of this stuff in our food supply. I was happy to see some of the manufactures recently take out hfcs in their products and replace it with sugar. One of the reasons they did this was the price of corn had risen to much and sugar was cheaper. Growing up as a child my mom was a health nut and swore this stuff was better than sugar so she fed it to us in abundance, corn syrup - plain old corn syrup. I still cringe and say yuck! Ultimately do you know what led to my our decscion to cut hfcs and corn byproducts out? My husband works in a factory that processes this stuff. He takes care of the pipes and tanks because they become so corroded and leak. Let's just make this short and simple, yuck! Ok, I will hint. The other day he came home coated in it, head to steel toe boots. His clothes dried stiff as a board. And he smells awful before a shower. I encourage you all to take back your diet from the corn food processors. High five!!
1 and 1/2 years ago we stopped. The kids took a little longer. Aunt Jamima was mighty hard for the kids to give up. But in the end its worked out. We will be at the grocery and they read the ing. if it has hfcs in it they say gross really load and put it back. Of course thats not as akward as when they want to hold hands and pray over which applesauce to buy.
I'm off to watch the video, that stuff is scary. Enjoyed your cheerleading, reminds me of my sister!
I wish I knew why American bread is so sweet. European bread isn't sweet. Is this is a taste thing - folks just like sweet stuff - or is it something to do with getting the dough to rise? I don't like sweet bread, it tastes like cake. Anyone for a cake and cheese sandwich? Ugh! It's so easy to get used to the way things taste that we hardly realize how sweet and salty all processed foods are until we start making our own alternatives.
We're low on the HFCS intake here and not one of us in my family has a weight problem. Wouldn't you know that the one time my husband was overweight was when he drank sodas instead of water? Let's all get off that stuff as much as possible!
I try not to eat it but I don't always succeed. Do you have a Trader Joe's near you? They do affordable bread with no nasty ingreds. We're in Africa now, but you'll be pleased to know that it's still an additive in plenty of stuff here. It is easier to avoid though.
If I was wealthy, I'd buy you this t-shirt:
http://tshirtinsurgency.com/high-fructose-corn-syrup-t-shirt
My wife gets tired of me talking about how awful HFCS is. Last year they served Kentucky Fried Chicken at work, and the packets of honey weren't packets of honey. It's HFCS. That's just wrong.
Take care,
muddywaters
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