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7:53 AM
In the 70s and 80s, most manufacturers switched from using sugar in their products to using a cheaper substitute product -- high fructose corn syrup. Nowadays, HFCS is lurking on the ingredient list of most foods that Americans consume, but there is a move to change this. Some big manufacturers such as Hunt's ketchup, Wheat Thins, Gatorade, Pepsi and Mountain Dew are ditching the HFCS and adding real sugar to their products. The progression towards a more natural product has resulted from consumer demand, as parents and health-conscious individuals continue to raise awareness about the potentially dangerous effects of the artificial sweeteners. However, since the majority of the companies making the switching are not getting rid of HFCS in all of their product lines, the marketing efforts for the new and improved sugar-containing goods is relatively low key.
During all of the recent debate about whether or not HFCS is really unhealthy for humans, the Corn Refiners Association has launched several PR efforts trying to educate the public about the harmlessness of HFCS. However, more research points to the opposing side who claim that the human body was not made to digest this artificial sweetener. The controversy is reminiscent of the big tobacco law suits of the 90s, when the tobacco manufacturers were trying to inform the world that it was not unsafe to smoke regularly, despite convincing evidence proving otherwise.
For those who try to limit their sugar intake, there may be a saving grace. The FDA has approved the use of stevia, which is a natural artificial sweetener. In the past year, stevia has replaced lots of sugar and HFCS, but will results show in 10 years that this product is just as dangerous as HFCS? Why can't an unbiased third party prove or disprove the claims of the manufacturers and lobbyists? Surely there is an answer to the question of the sweetener's safety, one that should not be hidden in order to protect big money.
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