High Fructose Corn Syrup and better eating habits

Being an endurance athlete, I take my nutrition very seriously, not only for my bodies health, but also to give it the best possible chance of recovering from my workouts so that I can get out at do it again.  This is how I started reading Hammer Nutrition's Endurance News.  Aside from using their great products, they also supply their customers with a wealth of knowledge from folks who have already been there and done that.  I am a huge proponent of listening to others experiences and learning about their mistakes so I don't have to make them. 

Here are two articles I got out of the 74th issue of Endurance News.  Feel free to look through the whole thing, but the two I really want you to read start on page 28 and page 36.  They are short and informative and I really like the title of the one on page 36.  :-)

For more information, here is a website that defends HFCS against all the bad press it gets.  I want to make it very clear that I don't personally think that HFCS is the single ingredient to blame for the health issues mentioned in the 5 health dangers of High Fructose Corn Syrup article.  Sugar is just as much to blame.  The point is that processesed foods are the items you really should stay away from.  Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables and I can assure you that you will look and feel healthier than when you eat that Mars bar.  And to continue beating a dead horse, stop drinking soda.

Next time you buy something (and I mean absolutely anything that you consume), take a look at the ingredients list and you will be surprised at what contains sugar or HFCS and their quantities.  Here is an article that mentions the food types that have HFCS.  To get a visual sense of how much sugar is actually in the products you consume, check out Sugar Stacks.  Lets just keep in mind that the source of the sugar is what is the problem.  Yes, fruit does contain a lot of sugar, but that is natural sugar in a natural food item that your body knows how to digest and use.  It is not man made sugar that is added in after the fact.  Now, when you buy fruit juices, a lot of those have added sugar as stated in the ingredients list.  That, is not your best choice.  Find one that does not add processed sugar and just uses the fruits themselves as the natural sweetners. 

Upsetting Facts:
1/3 of the products bought at a grocery store contain HFCS.
80% of packaged goods contain some form of genetically modified corn.