Beware Of A Possible Upcoming Label Change

[tex]

Hi All,

The Corn Refiners Assocation has petitioned the FDA, to allow them to use the term "corn sugar", interchangeably with the term high fructose corn syrup, (HFCS). The change is needed, (according to them), in order to prevent increasing "confusion" among consumers. They claim that a calorie is a calorie, as evidenced by research they cite:

Yet, the facts are straightforward. For example, in a December 2008 report, the American Dietetic Association confirmed that high fructose corn syrup is "nutritionally equivalent to sucrose (table sugar)" and that the sweeteners contain the same number of calories per gram. The ADA found that "once absorbed into the bloodstream, the two sweeteners are indistinguishable."

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases ... 45349.html

Of course, the only mention of the real reason for the request is in this statement:

A continuing series of inexact scientific reports and inaccurate media accounts about high fructose corn syrup and matters of health and nutrition have also increased consumer uncertainty.

Sure, when current research is blowing you out of the water, that information must be "inexact", and "inaccurate".

Here's another misleading quote from the article:

"The last thing we want is for Americans to think that avoiding high fructose corn syrup is the answer," said Registered Dietitian Carolyn O'Neil. "All added sugars should be consumed in moderation – corn sugar, table sugar, honey and fruit juice concentrates. These sugars contain an equal number of calories that must be burned off – or the body will convert them to fat."

Well it's certainly not difficult to believe that they don't want consumers to think bad thoughts about their product, but the unfortunate facts show that consumers have a very good reason to distrust their product.

The fact is, the most recent research has shown that all calories are not equal in their potential to cause weight gain. This research shows that rats fed equal amounts of table sugar, and/or HFCS, do not gain weight equally - the rats fed HFCS gain much more weight, on the same number of calories. So the Corn Refiners want to change the name, thinking that consumers won't be smart enough to make the connection, and figure out what's actually happening. Well Duh!

http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/arch ... /91/22K07/

Tex

[Robbie]

This stinks! Many consumers are smart enough to make the connection. Sadly, plenty probably won't.

[tex]

Dr. Briffa has been blogging about this, also:

Of course, changing HFCS’s name does not change its health characteristics, and certainly does not make it any less toxic to health. And the same, as it happens, is true for the artificial sweetener aspartame, which its manufacturers (Ajinomoto) are rebranding as ‘AminoSweet’.

I take these rebranding exercises as tacit admission by manufacturers that their products have managed to gain themselves quite unhealthy reputations (and for good reason, I think).

http://www.drbriffa.com/2010/09/17/rebr ... t-healthy/

I wasn't aware that aspartame had been rebranded, but apparently it's manufacturer had already recognized a year or so ago, that it was time to try to "hide" the product's shady past.

Tex