Eating For Health

Have you noticed the ingredients on some packaging?   In place of sugar some manufacturers are using high fructose corn syrup to sweeten foods.   So much so that now you can find packages with bold letters stating, No High Fructose Corn Syrup.    What is high fructose corn syrup and how does this sweetener affect your health? What is high fructose corn syrup?   High fructose corn syrup is made from corn starch.   After processing it is a liquid composed of 55% fructose and 45% glucose.   How is high fructose corn syrup used in foods ? One doesn’t go to the store to buy high fructose corn syrup, rather manufacturers use high fructose corn syrup in place of sugar to sweeten foods as high fructose corn syrup is cheaper.   High fructose corn syrup not only adds sweetness to foods, it also is used for other reason such as surface browning, giving “moisture, structure, and texture” to foods.   In foods like bread, jellies, and jams it is...

Who doesn’t enjoy some sweets in their diet?   We all like our desserts and treating ourselves.   There are a lot of myths about sugar in our diets.   Food for Health has a great article this month on Sugar:   The Not-So-Sweet Truth .   Do you believe some of these myths about sugar?   Below are some common myths many people have about sugar. Myth 1:   Some sugars such as honey or agave are healthier for you than white table sugar or high fructose corn syrup. A little bit true, as honey and agave do provide some traces of vitamins and minerals such as potassium and vitamin C.   But the amounts are so small, that honey and agave are not really healthier than white table sugar or high fructose corn syrup.   Some people use honey as a cough suppressant .   Others like the taste of honey in baked foods like muffins.   Nothing wrong with choosing honey or agave, they just aren’t much healthier.     Myth 2: ...

Are you choosing whole wheat bread or bread that has some or no whole wheat?   When I ask my students, “How can you tell if bread is whole grain?” I get quite interesting answers.   Some say, color – brown bread is whole wheat bread.   Some say – look at the label but then don’t explain what to look for.   So how do you know if bread is whole wheat and what are some of the best whole grain breads to choose?   Environmental Nutrition recently wrote, “ Best in Whole Wheat Bread ” and provided a lot of recommended whole wheat breads to choose from.    Why whole wheat bread?   Choosing whole grain bread is good for your health.   Forget the gluten free craze (unless you have celiac disease) and focus on buying and enjoying some whole grain bread. Whole grain bread adds fiber to your day.   Most Americans have diets quite low in fiber and eating whole grain bread is a great way to add some fiber to your diet. Whole grain bread ha...