Corn Syrup - WHY is it in everything???

Question

Ok, I already know the answer to this question but I guess I'm just venting.
 
I don't understand why corn syrup has become such a staple ingredient in everything I purchase in the supermarket. It has become nearly impossible to find products which do not contain it. Mind you, I'm by no means a nut about these things - it's not like I'm running around only buying organic items, etc. but I do try and eat as well as possible whenever I can. That to me means, staying away from unnecessary ingredients which add no nutritional value to a food.
 
Corn syrup fits the bill. I know, it is all a political thing - I read Fast Food Nation, I'm aware. Today, I went to buy a small box of Saltines, an item I don't buy alot because a box takes a while to disappear in my house. I suddenly realized it had corn syrup in it. For what reason? How is this improving the flavor and/or texture of an item that has been around for what, like 50 years or more?
 
It drives me nuts. I can see using it in a cookie recipe, because it then is an essential ingredient in certain recipes (for instance, the chewy ginger cookies I made at Christmas time). But to unneccessarily use it just to add more sugar and added calories, well, you get the point.
 
I'll step off my soapbox now. Just had to get this out somewhere!
 
Laurie

Answer

I have a friend who's very allergic to corn - including corn syrup, and she has a terrible time finding things she can eat. (She's often forced to eat healthy, unprocessed food even when she doesn't want to!)
 
As a result, I have become more aware of The Dreaded Corn Syrup Invasion, and I deplore it as much as you do.
 
Anne

Answer

Interesting article on Corn Syrup below.

Link: http://www.westonaprice.org/motherlinda/cornsyrup.html

Answer

Several months ago we started avoiding products with high fructose corn syrup. Takes a little extra time to look at the labels and sometimes a little extra cash. Seems like I feel better and don't have that must eat more feeling that the hfcs causes. Another thing is that I will call or write the company and thank them for not adding this stuff to their products. Maybe I should contact the brands I used to buy too. One small voice for change...

Answer

Others have already pointed to the largely political and economic reasons it's found in most food products so I won't repeat them. The most important thing is that once you become aware of it, it becomes easier and easier to avoid. I avoid virtually all products that contain it, even if that means I do without something I might otherwise want. Of course there are exceptions but I've found out that as I walk down the aisles in the supermarket, I buy less and less product that is packaged, and more and more from the farmers market and the produce aisle and cook virtually everything from scratch. I'm fine with that. The more people that do this, the more impact it will have at the margins in terms of encouraging some producers to produce products that are free of these kinds of unhealty additives (and I'm no nut-eatin, vegan, vitamin poppin health freak [not that there's anything wrong with that]). Unfortunately, all you have to do is walk into the food aisles at Walmart or Sams Club or any supermarket to realize that its a losing battle, but I'll still fight it.

Answer

i don't really have a stance for or against corn syrup as i don't eat many things that contain it. i did, however, want to point out that corn syrup and high-fructose corn syrup are not the same thing (see link).

Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corn_syrup

Answer

In addition to much of the reasoning below, let me add a few points:
America's taste for oversweetened food is a major factor.
Fat-free, or "light" versions of normal food often use corn syrup as a replacement. 
 
There is a HUGE difference between corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup. People seem to be using the terms interchangeably (while the food labels can not), but from what I understand, they are very different. Am I wrong?

Answer

New York Times did a ground-breaking series of articles on the recent American diabetes epidemic about a week ago. Some answers to your questions will be found there if you go to their site and do a search.

Answer

Having moved from England I noticed a dramatic difference and can say without a doubt that it's corn syrup that's responsible for making Americans fat!

I have lived my entire life on cane sugar, used solely in the UK. When I moved here I noticed that corn syrup is everything that you just cannot escape it. At first I didn't notice, but then I began to feel heavier so I cut it out completely and I'm my normal self again.

It's very worrying that the government, particularly Michelle Obama, has spoken out about the obesity crisis in this country, but yet they are responsible for corn syrup being in all the foods!! The corn syrup is killing people off gradually, it's true. Over time a person's health suffers.

I shop mainly at whole foods and I've begun the process of growing my own fruit and veggies. I don't trust what they put in the foods. Obesity in America is a big problem and the sole reason is corn syrup.

Spend that extra money to get veggies from the local farmer. Your health should be a priority.

Answer

Ok I googled 'Why do Americans put corn syrup into everything' and I somehow found my way to this site. I just can't understand it, I am an avid cook and baker and love to make things. Almost EVERY cooking or baking demo on youtube has corn syrup in it, in some cases sugar AND corn syrup, WHY? Last night I was watching candy apple making videos and people were using sugar AND corn syrup for WHAT reason is this necessary? I am a South African and we literally only get cane sugar here the brown and the white variety, we grow and process and import sugar as well. The recipes make it seem as if this corn syrup thing is a MUST! now we dont get that stuff here, however seeing that the Americans dump this shit into everything! the rest of the world is going to do the same soon. I have read a lot of negative stuff about this corn syrup thing and to be honest I would dread to see the day when it makes its way to us. For the cooks and bakers out there please stop over inflating your recipes with this corn syrup thing its really NOT necessary. You are the people who can STOP this none sense if you leave it OUT of your cooking and baking then everyone else will do so as well, it's you people who sell this product not just your fellow Americans but now world wide with your cooking demos and recipes which are reaching the far corners of the world!

A South African

Answer

I'm not a baker, but I just checked the baking section of my James Beard cookbook and found no corn syrup in any recipe. I checked the wrapper of the bread I have been buying lately and found no corn syrup of any kind. So it isn't true that it is in everything.

Answer

It's all about government subsidies that make its cost artificially low.

http://grist.org/article/farm-subsidies-bitter-and-sweet/

"HFCS producers — including the dominant one, Archer Daniels Midland — accessed "corn priced 27% below its cost from 1997-2005.” As a result, producers booked a cool $2.2 billion in savings between 1997 and 2005" 

Of course, the real irony is that the government is on one hand subsidizing this basic product, while taxing the end product because it's unhealthy. Hello - Just stop the subsidies.

Answer

Corn can be grown pretty much all over the continental United States. Many American farmers make their living through corn. In a way, HFCS is good for our economy as it allows the American farmer to keep his/her job, rather than having to depend on imported sugar.

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Corn Syrup - WHY is it in everything???

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