The truth about listed ingredients.

[bearfan454]

I responded to Lisa0825's question on ingredients. I want to share this with everyone. Listed ingredients can be very deceitful. Pork and beef can mean snouts, feet, ears, internal organs, anything that is pork and beef.

Made with real butter can mean a 1/2 teaspoon of real butter was put in a 500 gallon mixing vat. It could also have lard. Oreo cookie filling is lard and sugar for the most part. Think how many of those we all ate as kids.

0 grams of sugar doesn't mean no sugar. If the ingredients list dextrose, maltose, corn syrup or high fructose corn syrup those are sugar too. Believe me I lost 80 pounds last year by reading every letter on the labels and eliminating all sugar. Read your Oscar Mayer hot dog ingredients. Corn syrup is right up there at the top.

About 10 years ago a bunch of doctors started wondering where in the hell all of these diabetics were coming from. After years of study they found out that food manufacturers were putting high fructose corn syrup in almost everything we buy. The reason, corporate greed again. They discovered that by putting the fructose in everything it made it taste a little better. Then the kids would want to eat it and Mom would buy it and bingo more profit for the corporations. Mrs bearfan used to buy Elmo juice for Amanda(our granddaughter) when she was a baby. I read the label one day and told her hell give her a can of Coke, there's less sugar in a can of Coke than in this shit. They don't give a shit if we turn into diabetics or have health problems. The bottom line nowadays is profit. Profit over people at any cost, ANY. Human lives are included in that ANY.

The list of ingredients are listed by weight by law. That means whatever is the first ingredient listed is what there is the most of in the package. Most spice mixes are almost pure salt. Accent seasoning is pure MSG. It says it right in the ingredients.

I hope this makes people more aware of deceitful listed ingredients.

[Shakespeare]

1. HFCS is also much, much cheaper than cane sugar.

So that's part of it, too. I've ranted a few times in the Lounge about this myself--I'm convinced we're going to find out (and studies are already beginning to suggest) that HFCS is a direct cause of diabetes, heart disease and obesity. It wreaks havoc with one's adrenal system in a way that other sweeteners do not.

I also know, by virtue of what I do for a living (work in a law firm), that food companies are VERY aware of this and absolutely terrified about their potential liability. You're already seeing some damage control on this, and it's only going to go up exponentially as more of these studies emerge. You're also going to have to watch closely for "debunking" studies that are funded by the companies.

HFCS is nasty, nasty stuff--avoid it like the plague. If you still want to drink your Coke (there's a whole other argument that New Coke was a diversion to give them an opportunity to switch to HFCS, because when "classic Coke" re-emerged, it no longer contained cane syrup, but HFCS), then look for Coke from Mexico (in Mexican markets) and kosher Coke. Those are still made with cane sugar.

[bearfan454]

2. I think a study was done and they discovered that

the average American consumes over 80 pounds of HFCS every year. It is literally killing us in the name of corporate greed.

[wildeyed]

3. This is one of the reasons I avoid packaged food for my family.

Between the corn syrup, the partially hydrogenated fats, and I don't know what other nasty preservatives they add, I just don't think it sounds healthy. If I cooked it, I know what is in there.

I am not a food extremist by any measure, but I am not a fool either. Our bodies were not meant to have this junk in such large amounts.

[Stinky The Clown]

4. This goes to my earlier post about Love being the secret ingredient

If you cook with love, you control what you eat. And if you cook with love, you're more likely to use raw/pure/unpackaged ingredients.

Providing a healthy diet for your family is sure a part of cooking with love!

[Lisa0825]

5. I learned about HFCS when I started the South Beach Diet.

I am a label reader now, hence my other topic. Last year, I would have just grabbed it without reading. Of course, I don't ALWAYS care what I get. If I buy something strictly for convenience or nostalgia, oh well. But I try to "eat clean" about 75% of the time. The result? Minus 42 pounds!

[bearfan454]

6. Good for you.

That's great.

[Stinky The Clown]

9. Good on ya for the -CMII

I know what you mean about eating healthy and "clean". While I'm not on a diet, if I ate a lot of junk I'd have to be. I love to eat and eat a lot. Were I eating junk, I'd be pretty hefty. I eat good food prepared in reasonable ways and that seems to net a healthy diet. I avoid almost nothing if it is honest food. I use butter - not a lot, but I'm not afraid of it. I even use the occasional bit of lard, but again, not at all in excess and usually for baking just certain items - like in this thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=236x4518

Our fish is mostly fresh or fresh frozen, but no "fish sticks" kinda stuff. Our veggies are 95% (99%?) fresh, raw, and unpackaged stuff. Good cheeses, but no cheese whiz. What little meat comes into the house is cut to order. I love salumi of all sorts, but only buy good brands that I know - no off brands to save a few cents.

I am certain that my diet keeps my weight within the realm of reasonable. Hardly svelte, I am not out of bounds on my weight.

My diet also includes huge quantities of love! Seems like yours does, too!

[Love Bug]

7. I know someone who is allergic to corn

She has a hell of a time trying to find package food that doesn't use corn syrup. She's probably healther for it, tho.

[bearfan454]

8. Yes she is healthier. n/t