Interesting HFCS story

Here’s an interesting story about high fructose corn syrup. I was on a committee with some other parents at a small public school (approximately 250 children) that attempted to improve the school lunch program by proposing a pilot program that would be funded through grants and include a research study as part of the project. The proposed improvements were to remove additives and preservatives (including high fructose corn syrup) from the school food and to replace the current meats, dairy, fruits and vegetables with their organic counterparts as much as possible. The principal of the school and the director of the district nutrition services were fully supportive of this attempt. Researchers were standing by.

Shortly after the idea was presented to the district Board of Education, a small TV spot about the proposed change aired on a local station. Within two days of the TV story, a Fed Ex envelope from Washington D.C. arrived at the school from the Corn Refiner’s Association. The letter stated that they heard about our proposed change and they wanted to educate us about corn syrup/high fructose corn syrup. The packet contained several pamphlets and a two-page letter stating that high fructose corn syrup was no different than table sugar (commonly called sucrose). Yet in the literature they stated “the only difference between HFCS and sucrose metabolism is the action of the enzyme sucrase in the small intestine.” Sucrase is the enzyme required for the breakdown process of sucrose. In other words, their statement admits that there IS a difference in the way the two sugars are broken down in the small intestine, which you will remember, is the place that 80% of your immune system is connected to. The letter also contained 4 photocopied menus from the school with the items crossed out which would “no longer be available” to our children if we were to remove their products from the nutrition program. There was hardly anything left! In fact, there were days that every item was crossed through – including yogurt, meats, fruits and veggies!