Firefighter Nutrition Tip...Don't Eat This

Try to follow this eating pattern!

Don't Eat this Sweetener...

One of the most evil products that is present in huge quantities in our food supply these days is high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Products that contain HFCS are highly modified from their natural state by mass processing to satisfy economical and/or food preservation needs. This results in products that are much more harmful to our bodies than the original substance. The food manufacturers are only concerned with maximizing profits-- and do not take into consideration the consumer’s health.  Not only does HFCS contribute significantly to promoting fat storage, but it also contributes to a host of other health problems. If you’re serious about getting "fit for duty," losing body fat and maintaining a lean and healthy body, you must avoid HFCS as much as possible, if not altogether. The answer to avoiding HFCS is quite simple – don’t buy processed foods! Choose whole natural foods instead and your body will thank you.

HFCS is used in a ton of products on the market today. It’s most prevalent in sodas, breakfast syrups, fruit juices, and any other sweetened beverages.  HFCS is also found in ketchup, sweetened cereals, cakes, cookies, pasta sauces, barbeque sauces, salad dressings, and many other products. It began to be used in smaller quantities by food manufacturers in the 1970’s. It has now become the number one sweetener used in most food products due to its comparatively low cost. Some health experts have even correlated the rise in the use of HFCS in our food supply with the rise in obesity, since they have a remarkably similar trend. Although it’s quite possible that there may be a link between the two, I don’t fully agree with that assumption, since the population has also become much more sedentary over the years.

The problem with HFCS is that it is not processed by our bodies in the same way as other sugars and tends to be more lipogenic (promotes fat storage). Also, your body doesn’t readily recognize the calories ingested from HFCS, so it does nothing to satisfy your appetite. The bottom line is, if you want to be lean and strong, stay away from the empty calories of HFCS. If you need to buy sweetened products, look for products that use natural un-processed sweeteners like raw honey, molasses, or organic maple syrup and use them in moderation. If you want a non-caloric alternative, whatever you do, DON’T use artificial sweeteners try a more natural sweetener called Stevia.  Not only are artificial sweeteners potentially dangerous chemicals in the long run, but studies are also indicating that they promote fat gain and high insulin levels due to several complicated factors in the body.