Top 10 Foods Having High Fructose Corn Syrup. Check Them Out!
Hello people!!
Staying fit and healthy is everyone’s dream and I am sure you are trying hard to stay in shape! However, are you aware that some common foods around you can actually sabotage your fitness plans? Yes, they contain one ingredient i.e. a sweetener called high fructose corn syrup.
What is High fructose corn syrup (HFCS)?
High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is named so because it is made from corn starch. Its chemical composition and effect on us humans is the same as that of table sugar. The reason why it is used commonly is its low price. There are people who claim that HFCS is more harmful than sugar but presently there is no sufficient evidence. All that can be said is that they both are unhealthy.
Too much of this sweetener is linked to a lot of health problems such as type 2 diabetes and obesity. The sad part is that it can be difficult to avoid HFCS as it is added to common foods that you think are healthy.
Top 10 Foods Having High Fructose Corn Syrup
1) Sweetened Yogurt
Yogurt is a probiotic food and because of its health benefits it is touted as a healthy snack. There is no doubt about the fact that it is healthy but the low-fat and fat-free varieties of yogurt sold by companies are plain sugar bombs! A single serving of low-fat flavoured yogurts have more than 40 g of sugar. And that is something that crosses the daily limit of sugar. Such yogurts usually have HFCS added to them.
The yogurt with added HFCS should be replaced with plain yogurt. You can flavor it with fruits of your choice. This way, your yogurt bowl will be healthy as well as tasty.
2) Salad dressing
You got to look at the ingredient list of the store bought salad dressing. Be extra careful with the ones that claim to be fat-free or low in calorie. In order to compensate the loss of flavor due to removal of fat, most companies either add sugar or HFCS in order to satisfy your taste buds.
A single tablespoon of fat-free salad dressing can have up to 3 g of sugar. It is quite common for people to add more than one tablespoon of dressing. This way more than half of a day’s sugar limit can be consumed in just one salad.
The best way out is the make your own salad dressing with healthy stuff like lemon juice, balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
3) Bread
Please check the ingredient list of your brand of bread. Most breads have added high-fructose corn syrup added. It is surprising as bread does not fall in the category of sweet foods.
4) Canned Fruit
The peeling and preservation of canned fruit strips it of all the healthy fibre. In spite of the natural sugar in it, HFCS is added to the syrup of canned fruit. A single cup of canned fruit can have 44 g of sugar! It would be better to completely avoid canned fruit. Go in for fresh fruits instead.
5) Juice
Juice does have nutrients and antioxidants but it also has loads of sugar in it. Packaged juice is sweetened with HFCS. The amount of sugar added to juices is similar to that added in aerated drinks and at times can go way beyond! Opt for whole fruits instead of packaged juices if you really want to stay healthy.
6) Breakfast cereal
Cereals are touted as healthy breakfast options but do you know that they are heavily sweetened with either sugar or HFCS. Some breakfast cereal brands have way more sugar than desserts! Consuming a bowl of sugar bombs first thing in the morning is a terrible way to start the day. Choose unsweetened cereal or go in for oats.
7) Sauces
Sauce may not seem to be harmful but when you see the ingredient list you will know what they are! Most brands have HFCS as the first ingredient.
8) Cookies and crackers
Processed foods like cookies and crackers have HFCS in them. Choose healthier brands without added sweeteners. There is always an option of going in for whole foods like veggies, nuts, seeds and fruits when you feel like snacking.
9) Jam
No prize for guessing that jam has lots of sugar in it. Most of the store bought varieties will have HFCS. Look for brands that don’t add HFCS. Why don’t you try to make your own at home?
10) Ice Cream
Everyone’s beloved ice cream is high in sugar and is thus to be consumed in moderation. There are many brands that add HFCS to their ice cream, you need to be wary of them.
The bottomline
Keep your eyes wide open and choose healthier food alternatives that don’t have added HFCS. After all, it is your health and you need to take care of it.
Hope this post on Foods Having High Fructose Corn Syrup has been useful!
You may also like reading:
- 6 Signs You Are Consuming Too Much Sugar
- Top 6 Juices That Control Blood Sugar
- Artificial Sweeteners And Their Effect On Blood Sugar And Insulin
- Top 5 Healthy Sugars That Actually Harm Your Health
- Are Sugarfree Packaged Juices Healthy?