Well, the FDA finally decided to step into the "corn sugar" battle. I don't know where they've been for the past few months. But I guess I'm glad they're finally waking up--if it means they plan on doing anything, of course.

Otherwise, it's just another ridiculous layer to a story that's already ridiculous beyond belief.

You see, Big Corn didn't like where public opinion on high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) was going. I guess seeing more and more products proudly proclaiming they contain no HFCS wasn't doing too well for morale. So they did what any company suffering bad PR would do--they went for an image overhaul.

The website Cornsugar.com presents "Simple Facts" in answer to "confusion" over what "you're hearing about high fructose corn syrup," offering to let their "experts" fill you in.

Experts, huh? I'm sure they're completely unbiased and have nothing but our health and well-being in mind, right? That's why we're being offered "facts" like "corn sugar is handled by your body the same as sugar or honey."

Right...

What's in a name?

Trouble for Big Corn is, nobody's buying it. A recently uncovered letter from the FDA, dated for July of this year, asked the Corn Refiners Association to modify statements that use "corn sugar" as a synonym for HFCS.

Well, they can ask all they want, but Cornsugar.com is still going strong, because the FDA can't stop a campaign that promotes an entire industry rather than a single product. They'll only be able to step in if Big Corn tries to make the switch on any product labels. While I'm glad the FDA is calling them out, it sure took them long enough. I mean, they lagged pretty far behind the lawsuit Big Sugar announced against Big Corn this spring, attacking them for "false advertising".

Of course, I've had a bone to pick with Big Sugar ever since seeing those ridiculous ads depicting self-righteous HFCS supporters scolding partygoers and spouses for not getting that the stuff is "fine in moderation" and oh-so-natural.

What they won't tell you about, of course, is the rising number of studies linking HFCS to obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, and liver scarring. Last year, a study in which rats were fed "normal" levels of HFCS (maybe those "fine in moderation" levels from the commercials?) linked it to one of the biggest killers of our time.

No, they'll just keep glossing over the facts in favor of marketing reinventions and outright lies. But as more people continue to catch on to the deception, I can't help but hope that HFCS will soon be a "can you believe we used to eat that stuff" thing of the past.

Until then, we can only do our best to avoid it, and stand up to anyone who attempts to channel those insufferable marketing campaigns. They want to share the "Simple Facts," huh? Well, we've got a few for them; in fact, I'll break it down even more. Here are a few simple WORDS: Obesity. Diabetes. Heart disease. Cancer. Is that simple enough?

Related articles & videos of interest:

Corn Syrup by Any Other Name

Calling HFCS “corn sugar” whether you like it or not

Pot, meet kettle

Oh the irony…High Fructose Corn Syrup: Get the REAL Facts!

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