Diet Buster: Watch Out for High Fructose Corn Syrup

Sometimes I think that the food processing industry must use more high fructose corn syrup than any other ingredient. When you get in the habit of reading product labels, you'll notice high fructose corn syrup turning up in all kids of foods that you would never expect.

I did a little bit of research about why this ingredient is so commonly used, and the only explanation I can find is that can be significantly less expensive for food manufacturers to sweeten processed foods with high fructose corn syrup. However, some of the foods that contain this product aren't even sweet. Many others include refined sugar and other sweeteners in addition to high fructose corn syrup.

Regardless of the reason a product contains high fructose corn syrup, it's a fact that this ingredient can add empty, often unnecessary, calories to the foods we consume. When dieting, it's important to make sure that the foods you eat provide the greatest nutritional benefits with the fewest number of calories. Whether you're trying to shed excess pounds or just want to maintain a healthy body weight, one has to question the wisdom of eating foods full of empty calories.

Some researchers say that eating products high in this ingredient actually contributes to overeating, because fructose consumption doesn't trigger the brain to realize it's full. Others say that this ingredient contributes to increased body fat. Some people even argue that high fructose corn syrup, along with its prevalence in the foods we eat, is the primary reason for the current obesity epidemic in the United States.

Following a healthy diet involves making smart decisions about the foods that you choose to put in your body. It's important to check the ingredient labels of the processed food products that you purchase so that you understand exactly what you are putting into your body. Many people are surprised to find out what types of artificial ingredients go into foods that seem like they would be healthy choices at first glance.

Reducing your consumption of foods that contain high levels of high fructose corn syrup can contribute to healthy weight loss. Better yet, stick with whole foods that don't contain chemically altered ingredients. When you want to make sure that your diet is as healthy and diet-friendly as possible, it's certainly in your best interest to build your diet around healthy, whole foods that that are naturally rich in the nutrients that your body needs.