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keep_left

(2,698 posts)
20. The real issue with HFCS is corn subsidies and price supports.
Sun Jan 19, 2025, 01:16 AM
Jan 19

Basically, the US has expensive sugar but cheap corn because of our agricultural price support system. At some point (the late '70s, I think), scientists figured out how to convert more of the glucose in corn syrup to fructose, which makes it noticeably sweeter. (This was sort of a side-effect of the biotech revolution, as the technology uses genetically-engineered enzymes). Since corn is really cheap, the corn sugar product (HFCS) is also cheap--significantly cheaper than sugar--and it gets put in a lot of products. That keeps increasing because we Americans are known for our sweet tooth.

More recently, I noticed that they've discovered how to make freeze-dried HFCS which can be used in place of granulated sugar (baked goods, etc.). So HFCS is now added to just about everything you will find in a supermarket, including products which you don't normally associate with added sugar (e.g. crackers). The health effects of this would probably be similar if sugar was as cheap as HFCS and was being added to every conceivable food product. And as you say, this is RFK Jr's stopped-clock moment. He's right about all the sugar in our diets. He's completely wrong about pretty much everything else. (And that includes seed oils--just ask any cardiologist about "healthy" beef tallow, lard, coconut oil, ghee, etc.).

Recommendations

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Isn't it unspeakably demonic and insane BOSSHOG Jan 18 #1
Ban seed oils? WTF does that mean? bucolic_frolic Jan 18 #2
It's a moronic cause that apparently originates with the alt-right... keep_left Jan 18 #7
I'd like it if McD's went back to cooking their fries in beef tallow. Archae Jan 18 #11
I think that's for a lot of other reasons, though. keep_left Jan 19 #19
It means don't use seed oils - they are unhealthy womanofthehills Jan 18 #10
There are cold press or virgin seed oils bucolic_frolic Jan 19 #21
Does he even know what he can and can't legally do? chowmama Jan 18 #3
He can't legally do this by himself Diraven Jan 19 #18
They will bitch about it but they will never vote for a Democrat. Diamond_Dog Jan 18 #4
Yes, even as they lose their farms and go bankrupt, they will still vote for the GOP. Irish_Dem Jan 18 #8
"KeNnEdY wAs AlWaYs A dEmOnCrAt At HeArT!!!" regnaD kciN Jan 18 #9
FAFO nt drmeow Jan 18 #5
rfk jr will lose this battle. The oligarchs have more influence with their money than he has. mucifer Jan 18 #6
Has the crackpot been confirmed to anything? n/t valleyrogue Jan 18 #12
He's "confirmed" that he is an idiot. n/t rasputin1952 Jan 18 #14
I am no fan of HFCS... rasputin1952 Jan 18 #13
And what if . . . AverageOldGuy Jan 18 #16
HFCS is bad news. DFW Jan 18 #17
The real issue with HFCS is corn subsidies and price supports. keep_left Jan 19 #20
Don't worry, the admin will ALSO place high tariffs on Canadian maple syrup Prairie Gates Jan 18 #15
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»RFK Jr's vow to ban syrup...»Reply #20