Not So Sweet Anymore
If the current Salmonella scare involving peanut butter didn’t already have Americans worried sick, the results of a recent study piled more worries onto their plates.
A study reported in the January 26 edition of Environmental Health: A Global Access Science Source found that 45 percent of High Fructose Corn Syrup samples tested contained mercury. Most active bodybuilders have heard of the dangers of mercury, if nothing else than as a warning against consuming too much tuna. While mercury poisoning is not common, it does carry serious consequences.
Among other symptoms, mercury poisoning can cause skin rashes, muscle weakness, loss of coordination, mental disturbances and memory loss, and impairment of speech, hearing and walking. And while one would have to consume a considerable amount of tuna to experience such symptoms, the ubiquity of High Fructose Corn Syrup makes this a legitimate concern.
Because it is much cheaper than natural sugar, many companies rely on High Fructose Corn Syrup to sweeten their products; it is estimated that the average American consumes as much as 70 pounds of it annually. If the study results accurately reflected the marketplace, that means 31.5 of those 70 pounds could contain mercury.
But this is only the latest danger associated with High Fructose Corn Syrup - the sweetener is no stranger to controversy. In addition to accusations of inducing hunger, High Fructose Corn Syrup intake has been connected with liver damage and cardiovascular disease; certainly nothing an athlete, or anyone, for that matter, would want to be at risk for.
Even with the increased awareness, though, High Fructose Corn Syrup is notoriously difficult to avoid. While it is the main ingredient in many obvious places, such as soda, it can be lurking even in innocent-looking items such as bread or even relish. However, as more concerns pile up, the difficult search surely seems worth it.
SOURCES:
Renee Dufault, et al. Mercury from chlor-alkali plants: measured concentrations in food product sugar. Environmental Health: A Global Access Science Source: Jan. 26, 2009.
Mercury Poisining. MedicineNet.com
Eric Bartels. Dilemmas: Sugar vs. high-fructose corn syrup. Sustainable Life: May 15, 2008.
Post by: BrianWillett