How to Avoid High Fructose Corn Syrup

High Fructose has been under heavy scrutiny for the past couple years. When families found out just how “unnatural” HFCS was, they proceeded to spread the word to their friends and neighbors. Those who manufacture this product, have spent millions trying to convince you that it is natural – derived from plants and is equivalent to table sugar.

However, because it is highly processed our bodies can’t even process it and is of course made with GMO corn. It is linked to obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and not to mention the long term effects of processed food with GMO’s that we haven’t studied yet. Did I mention this is banned in Europe?

Needless to say, it’s a great thing to avoid, and that can be overwhelming since it is in most processed foods.

1. Sugary Drinks – Soda and Fruit Drinks are the #1 source of HFCS. They have large amounts in each drink to give it an intense sweetness.
2. Condiments – Items like ketchup, BBQ sauce, and dressings also contain HFCS for added sweetness. Low-fat and low-calorie dressings tend to have higher levels of the syrup than dressings that are made with olive or another kind of oil.
3. Baked Goods – Muffins, breads, desserts – you name it – contain HFCS to help with moisture and create a brown crust.
4. Processed Foods -Cereals, bars, lunch meats, boxed meals, prepared frozen meals, cookies, candy, etc have to sit on the shelves a long time and HFCS helps them do that.
5. Cough Syrups – And cough suppresents contain HFCS to give you that delicious (or disgusting) flavor.

1. Read Labels – Don’t trust the “all-natural” labels. It doesn’t mean anything. Make sure to read the labels.
2. Shop the Perimeter – Stay out of the middle of the grocery store. You have a better chance to avoid HFCS when shopping the perimeter.
3. Shop Locally – 9 times out of 10, your local source won’t dream of touching HFCS. To be sure, make sure you ask your meat farmers and specialty vendors if they use any in their prepared foods.
4. Eat Clean – If you stay away from processed foods and eat a diet of fresh foods you will automatically avoid HFCS.
5. Substitute – Use real natural sweeteners like local honey that doesn’t have to be processed.

If you are curious about more HFCS facts, there are several great articles here. Plus a great infographic that breaks it down (source).