One Nation, Under Corn

Following in the footsteps of Morgan Spurlock’s, Supersize Me, filmmaker Aaron Woolf made King Corn. The documentary reveals how high fructose corn syrup became a primary ingredient in so much of our food. Released in 2007, Wolf’s documentary follows his two friends as they travel to Iowa, grow an acre of corn, and then try to follow that corn to the supermarket. What they found is the vast majority of America’s corn is not fit for consumption. The quality—and nutritional content—of the corn has dropped to the point that it must be processed into high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) for it to have any marketability. The film shows the two would-be farmers’s biting into their corn, spitting it out, and claiming that it tasted like sawdust.

The corn America’s farmers are growing is designed for mass production and not for the highest nutritional quality. King Corn points the finger at the government for the lack of quality in the food; and the government points the finger back at the American people for wanting cheap food. In the early 1970’s, the Agriculture Secretary changed the philosophy of American farming. The new edict was to produce mass quantities of cheap food. Almost 40 years later, we have cheaper food, but at what cost?

For years, articles have addressed the adverse affects of HFCS, such as the SFGate’s 2004 article, Sugar Coated. A quick Google search on the topic reveals articles that dispute the direct comparison of America’s obesity problems and HFCS. Some articles claim that overall lack of exercise and other poor food choices play a more significant factor in America’s health issues, rather than blame HFCS alone. However, everyone should agree that natural, organic food is better for you than drinking mass amounts of soda and highly processed foods.

A quick survey of my own pantry and refrigerator revealed HFCS in several food items that I feed my kids. The biggest culprit is Nabisco's Fig Newtons, which contain both sugar and HFCS. That’s like pouring sugar on top of sugar. Nabisco’s Ritz crackers also contain HFCS as does Kellog’s Nutri-Grain bars. Most surprisingly, Oroweat’s Whole Grain 100% Whole Wheat bread contains HFCS. In the King Corn film, a representative of the high fructose corn syrup industry explains that the ingredient gives bread that golden brown color that everyone enjoys (while adding sugar to the food).

Products found in my kitchen that does not contain HFCS include:

• Krusteaz Buttermilk pancakes


• Trader Joe's products


• Organic brand products


• Skippy peanut butter
  

My kids are still healthy and are not obese. And to keep them healthy and fit, we plan to eliminate all of this extra, highly processed sugar that is added to foods in the form of HFCS. If this means no more Nutri-Grain bars and Fig Newtons, then so be it. We’ll find some alternatives. The first step is to continue going organic. There is plenty of naturally occurring sugar in fruits and vegetables. Last night, my wife found Planet Organics. They offer home delivery service of organic groceries, fruits, and vegetables. We might start paying a bit more for our food, but when it comes to the health and safety of our children, the small increase in cost is well worth it.