As I posted elsewhere I am currently working on removing HFCS from my diet. Its not as easy as one might think.

1. The Soda Problem. I dont like sugar free sodas , and really dont drink much soda at all. But I still want to be able to have the occasional rootbeer. My solution was to get Davinici syrups root beer flavor. When matched with my seltzer bottle it works very well.

2. Processed ingredients : HFCS
If its sweet it likely has HFCS. This means ketchup, honey mustard, horseradish sauce . All have it.
The big surprise? Those fun little spray bottle salad dressings. The second ingrediant? HFCS.

3. Eating out.
If I'm not making it, I dont know whats in it. When eating out asking for baked chicken, lean beef, or another nice protein, a simple side like rice and steamed veggies keeps me ok. That said, the minute a sauce enters the equation all bets are off.

What have you found HFCS in that has surprised you?

Hummus.

For real. There's a hummus taste test in our next issue and one of the national brands (that we did not review) had HFCS.

Why would you put that in there?

How funny, Carolyn, I was reading the label on Athenos hummus and it had hfcs and I thought, what the heck, why would anyone put hfcs in hummus? Nothing like taking a really healthy food and ruining it!

I was totally surprised to find HFCS in light corn syrup. I'm fairly certain the brand was Karo. I bought the Karo dark corn syrup which did not list it. At the time I did not think to substitute honey in the recipe instead but I am sure it would have been a satisfactory substitution.

I was unhappy to find it in frozen fish as I could not see why it would be in there, later I learned it is used as a preservative in some foods.

Even if I have checked a label for it and not found it I always recheck when purchasing the item again as more than once I have found the ingredient list has suddenly changed to include HFCS, sometimes I have not discovered this until after I have brought the item home. (sigh)

I figure all bets are off when eating out anyway, if they put it in frozen fish and most baked goods it is likely in most restaurant foods. My solution has been to limit eating out to only a very few special occaisions.

When I was in culinary school, one of our chef-instructors (who's from Montreal) pointed out that the Grey Poupon sold in the US has HFCS but the Grey Poupon in Canada does not. And for real, we went up to Montreal and bought some sansHFCS and brought it back to have a tasting. The Canadian one was just as sinus-clearing as I remembered it to be--I hadn't realized that it had changed but it really had!

Carolyn,

I think I remember reading somewhere that Canada has not approved the use of HFCS as a food ingredient. I also seem to remember that another country would not allow imports from the US of foods that include this ingredient without some sort of tarriff being imposed. Mexico?

Personally, I don't know if HFCS is as bad for you as it is claimed but I find it strange that the US has approved it as an ingredient in virtually everything processed when other countries are reluctant to accept it at all. For me, removing HFCS from my diet seems to have made a huge difference in my appetite alone and for that reason I try to avoid it, and in the end if it IS as bad as they say then I am even further ahead .

Our local newspaper today mentioned that Brownberry breads, who are also changing name to Arnold's, are removing HFCS's from their breads. I know last year we had emailed them from their site to ask why they were even using HFCS in their breads. I'm sure they heard from more than just our note and that is why they are removing HFCS's and putting in the more normal sugar, honey and/or molasses. It's about time. And nice to feel taht our note helped create the pile of messages that made then change their minds.

Arnold Breads was one of the companies that switched the ingredients in several of their breads to HFCS. I'm glad to hear they have gotten the message as well. I used to buy their 100% Whole Wheat and had repeatedy checked it for HFCS and it was fine. Then one time after not checking for a while I checked again and found it now had HFCS listed. This was probably more than a year ago and when I emailed Arnold they suggested I try other types of breads they made without it. I did switch to another of Arnold's breads for a short time but then tried several "all natural" breads. When I became fed up with the high price and not being able to find the bread without HFCS all of the time and plus having to constantly check the labels I began making my own bread this past winter.

Initially I used white flour and tried several different recipes but found I was putting weight back on so switched to whole wheat flour. I'm now making a bread that I'm sure is 100% whole wheat that is slightly sweetened with molasses and I use olive oil in it. I'm not perfect at it but it's getting easier, it smells heavenly baking and always tastes great even if it might look a little funky sometimes. It makes me happy to be making my own and now I can easily fit it into my routine.

I'm amazed (well, not really I guess) at how many new whole-wheat products we've gotten samples of here that have HFCS in them.

It is so amazing how many products in general that have HFCS in them for no reason I can really fathom.

Freeagain, we had switched to the bread right next to Brownberry on the shelf ... the Aunt Millie's we picked was 100% whole grain and no HFSC. I beleive we also told Arnold's that in the email we sent them, adding the incentive of buying from them again if they did make the switch away from HFCS's. But like you we were checking the breads and I do know that a few years ago Brownberry was not using HFCS's and then all of a sudden there it was listed.

Sharon,

I have read the main reasons for using HFCS in baked goods are ease of preparation because the liquid mixes easier than granulated sugar, cost, and the HFCS seems to give baked goods like breads a more golden appearance. Also the HFCS acts as a preservative extending shelf life.

I think the more of us that act on this issue by contacting the manufacturers and voting with our dollars the sooner we will see other companies like Arnold making the switch back.

People have said to me that I can't avoid HFCS as it is in everything. It is in a lot but it is not 'in everything' and the things it is not in are in general healthier for me to eat anyway. I have a sneaking suspicion HFCS was a huge factor in getting me into a bad spot healthwise but now that I am aware and avoiding it my health is greatly improved.

it is in a lot of whole grain breads too I read labels! after reading ultrametabolism diet book where dr hyman goes into great detail about what HFCS will do to the body I don't allow it in the house! I have been doing all my grocery shopping at Trader Joes and the kids love the "Real" maple syrup it may cost more but I am teaching my kids how to eat "Real" foods and not man made chemical crap that should have a skull and crossbones on the pkg xoxo Darlene

We got a loaf of the new Arnold's Natural Whole Wheat bread last night. I had seen then new wrappings before but hadn't needed a loaf until last night. They do not have HFC's in the list and that is one of the 4 things they say are not present in the bread. It is also more of the old regular size of bread not the huge sizes that have become more common as of late. Only 90 calories a slice.

I used Orowheat ( think it's Arnold back east) ww bread for years and suddenly noticed that HFCS was the third ingredient listed. I know when I started buying it that was not the case. I could live with it if it were down the list with the salt, but 3rd? NO. That's the last loaf I bought. I switched to Franz bread which at last reading did not have any HFCS. But try to find ww burger buns that don't have HFCS. Good luck. I can't find any, anywhere. I'm undecided as to whether HFCS is harmful but I try to avoid it in as many products as I can.

xcskier,
I don't buy burger buns and make my own bread but I have been told that often the store brands from those stores with an on site bakery do not have HFCS in them.

One of my issues with bakery breads is that even when they profess to be whole wheat they often are not. Even home baking recipes for supposedly "whole wheat" often are only a percentage whole wheat and sometimes more than 1/2 white or pastry flour. I have had good luck substituting all whole wheat in most baked recipes switching off between the white whole wheat which gives a more cakey texture and mild flavor and the original which is a bit coarser but nuttier flavor.