Sean Connery sells Biogurt

I’m speechless.

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More high-fructose corn syrup

Here’s a Chicago Tribune article about the unfair and negative image of high-fructose corn syrup. It’s no worse than sugar, they say. It’s made from corn. There is no scientific basis to suggest it is worse than sugar, they say.

Actually, there are a number of studies suggesting a link between high-fructose corn syrup and obesity as well as diabetes. If you google  it, I’m sure you’ll find plenty. I remember similar arguments being made about genetically modified foods just having a bad image, but that there was actually nothing wrong with the product. So how do you deal with conflicting science when making decisions whether or not to consume something?

When I read about these things, I always ask myself: what benefit am I receiving because of this change? How does genetically modified foods benefit me? How does high-fructose corn syrup benefit me? What you invariably find in these situations is that there is never any benefit to the consumer at all. From the article:

And some consumers simply say foods made with sugar taste better.

All of those issues have come to outweigh high fructose corn syrup’s benefits — it helps keep foods moist, extends the shelf life of products and is cheaper to produce than cane or beet sugar. Consequently, it has become a popular ingredient in processed products in nearly every aisle of the supermarket.

The long shelf life really doesn’t persuade me as a consumer. I feel the same way about the ultra-pasteurization of milk. I would rather have what I deem tastier milk than worry about the producers ability to leave their product on the shelf for months.

As for GM foods, I’m not terribly afraid of eating them, but I am truly terrified of messing with the genes of plants that have been feeding our species for thousands of years. As anyone who gardens knows, it’s really hard to contain plants. They sprout up and populate in places you never intended. They have a life of their own. It’s scary to think that we could make a change to the genetic makeup of a plant and then be unable to control how that plant propagates itself throughout the world.

I know I already posted this video, but it’s just so damn funny.

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