Comments on: NY lawmaker: ban high-fructose corn syrup

By: Soronel Haetir

Soronel Haetir — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 04:02:27 +0000

If you were a voter in Queens your outrage wouldn’t matter. She (or her predecessor in the district) would have chosen you rather than the other way around.

By: AZFlyer

AZFlyer — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 00:07:57 +0000

I’m stunned that, with all of the problems facing the State of NY today, a politician could get away with proposing this kind of nonsense. If I were a voter in Queens, I would be incensed at a politician who thought this was the best use of my elected representative’s time.

By: Timothy Harris

Timothy Harris — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 17:04:13 +0000

In the typical blind taste test (small quantity sample, 2 or 3 choices) people tend to prefer the sweeter food.

This does not always carry over to their preferences when eating normally. Witness “New Coke” which overwhelmingly won taste tests but failed miserably in the market.

But because manufacturers believe in taste tests it’s now hard to find staples like bread & spaghetti sauce that aren’t over sweetened.

By: John Burgess

John Burgess — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 13:39:03 +0000

Over the past 20 years, American food has simply become sweeter. Whether it’s salad dressings or Thai curries, there’s far more sweetness than there used to be. (Or needs, to be, IMO.)

Manufacturers can’t be entirely faulted as the problem seems to be that people just want sweeter foods, across the board. The market is meeting a demand, but the demand is skewed in the direction of ‘more sugar!’

By: Roy B

Roy B — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 13:06:14 +0000

Has the Assemblywoman stopped eating anything with corn syrup? Does she require her staff to not eat anything with corn syrup?

By: kimsch

kimsch — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 00:56:52 +0000

What I’d like to know is why there needs to be 10 teaspoons worth of sugar or HFCS in a can of soda or a bottle of tea. When Snapple came out with real sugar tea, I looked at the calories and it’s 10 teaspoons worth. I can make a nice 16-20 ounce green tea with 2 or 3 teaspoons of sugar, 30-45 calories versus 150 for 12 ounces.

By: Richard Nieporent

Richard Nieporent — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 21:04:20 +0000

I think banning is a great idea. However, instead of banning food ingredients why don’t we ban these NY legislators instead? Clearly it would be a lot easier to get rid of a few legislators than trying to ban salt or high fructose corn syrup and it would contribute to our (mental) health knowing that these people were no longer around to make stupid laws.

By: John Burgess

John Burgess — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 20:19:54 +0000

Corn syrup(s) certainly do have their place in cooking. If nothing else, they help prevent crystallization of sucrose sugar when making things like fudge. They also help to prevent baked goods from drying out quite so quickly.

Their widespread use in soft drinks, however, is purely a factor of economics: they’re cheaper than sucrose (cane or beet).

I’ve not found any smoking-gun document about ill effects of HFCS consumption, but I do think there is one. Lots of smoke, but the fire can’t yet be found.

In addition to the Mexican-bottled Coke, Coke itself kicks out a limited quantity of cane-sweetened beverage for Jewish holidays. Pepsi test-marketed a cane produce ‘Throwback Pepsi’ last year, but I didn’t see it on the shelves after the first essay.

By: My2cents

My2cents — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 20:03:36 +0000

Corn syrup is also prized for the gummy and chewy consistency it produces in many types of junk food.

By: Benjamin

Benjamin — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 19:06:26 +0000

Greg S, I was not advocating that HFCS be banned. I just said that it was better than banning salt, just like being knifed in the arm is better than being knifed in the gut. I don’t want to be knifed at all. I also want to pick my favorite foods.

I do prefer cane sugar over HFCS, but I don’t want it mandated. I want salt in my food. I’d rather the government dropped the tariffs on cane sugar.