Sickening News About a Common Sweetener

Following the news about whether high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is bad for you is a lot like watching professional table tennis: You could get whiplash trying to keep up. However, many of the favorable studies are from HFCS manufacturers or associations, and we don't think their results are airtight. Besides, there's growing evidence that shunning this el cheapo sugar replacement could help you avoid heart disease, stroke, and diabetes, not to mention wrinkles and impotence.

In a groundbreaking 2010 study, a third of people consuming 200 grams of HFCS a day -- what you'd get in seven 20-ounce bottles of soda -- developed metabolic syndrome in 2 weeks. Yes, 2 weeks. Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of disorders that sets you up for heart, brain, gonad, skin, and kidney trouble.

We're sure you'd probably never swig that much soda (right?!?), but teens average 73 grams of HFCS a day, and most people take in about 55 grams, mainly from the HFCS in sweet drinks, desserts, and candy, which your body absorbs in a flash. The fructose in fruit, by contrast, gets absorbed slowly and safely. Side note: HFCS may also contribute to obesity by interfering with "I'm full" brain signals.

Avoiding HFCS is about as easy as avoiding reruns of Desperate Housewives. The stuff is everywhere, from salad dressings and honey-mustard sauce to yogurt and muffins. So keep it simple: Check the label. If HFCS is in the first five ingredients, drop it like a hot rock. Do the same thing if the label contains any of these other ingredients.

Try these three food fixes to stop sugar cravings.

Previously published May 2010