Conspiracy Theories Poll

[Kamarling]

While I don't see this as a psi related subject, I'll add these comments because of the serendipity of watching a TV program on this subject last night.

The BBC ran a documentary last night about high sugar/fructose levels in food. A man from Coke was interviewed and though I don't remember him mentioning "New Coke", he did say that there was a decision to move from sugar to fructose because it was 30% cheaper. The point the program was making was that this enabled the food industry to introduce more sweet stuff (fructose), bigger containers (like the buckets of coke you see in the US), and that this coincided with data showing a steep rise in obesity. As the US food industry expanded its marketing worldwide, similar patterns were seen in other countries: the UK, for example, now has similar obesity levels as the US.

While, at no point, was this presented as a conspiracy, it did highlight an industry chasing profits at the expense of the health of their consumers ... just like the tobacco industry.

[Scott]

Originally Posted by Kamarling

While I don't see this as a psi related subject, I'll add these comments because of the serendipity of watching a TV program on this subject last night.

The BBC ran a documentary last night about high sugar/fructose levels in food. A man from Coke was interviewed and though I don't remember him mentioning "New Coke", he did say that there was a decision to move from sugar to fructose because it was 30% cheaper. The point the program was making was that this enabled the food industry to introduce more sweet stuff (fructose), bigger containers (like the buckets of coke you see in the US), and that this coincided with data showing a steep rise in obesity. As the US food industry expanded its marketing worldwide, similar patterns were seen in other countries: the UK, for example, now has similar obesity levels as the US.

While, at no point, was this presented as a conspiracy, it did highlight an industry chasing profits at the expense of the health of their consumers ... just like the tobacco industry.

HFCS is cheaper in the US where they can grow corn easy. In South America they use Sucrose since beets and sugar cane grows well and makes that cheaper. HFCS is only off by a little bit (55/45 vs. 50/50) on the two monosachrides. Your body breaks the glucose-fructose apart in sugar and then converts the fructose to glucose to be used. In HFCS the monosacrides just are not bonded together and there is a little more fructose.

[Arouet]

Originally Posted by Kamarling

While I don't see this as a psi related subject, I'll add these comments because of the serendipity of watching a TV program on this subject last night.

The BBC ran a documentary last night about high sugar/fructose levels in food. A man from Coke was interviewed and though I don't remember him mentioning "New Coke", he did say that there was a decision to move from sugar to fructose because it was 30% cheaper. The point the program was making was that this enabled the food industry to introduce more sweet stuff (fructose), bigger containers (like the buckets of coke you see in the US), and that this coincided with data showing a steep rise in obesity. As the US food industry expanded its marketing worldwide, similar patterns were seen in other countries: the UK, for example, now has similar obesity levels as the US.

While, at no point, was this presented as a conspiracy, it did highlight an industry chasing profits at the expense of the health of their consumers ... just like the tobacco industry.

Right - no conspiracy needed. And let's not kid ourselves - it wasn't exactly healthy before the switch - the food industry is absolutely overrun with unhealthy stuff - that's not a conspiracy!

[Open Mind]

Originally Posted by Scott

HFCS is cheaper in the US where they can grow corn easy. In South America they use Sucrose since beets and sugar cane grows well and makes that cheaper. HFCS is only off by a little bit (55/45 vs. 50/50) on the two monosachrides. Your body breaks the glucose-fructose apart in sugar and then converts the fructose to glucose to be used. In HFCS the monosacrides just are not bonded together and there is a little more fructose.

You are making it sound safe and nothing to be concerned about ... although the body requires sugars to survive ... the ridiculous amount of sugar we eat in the diet is not like fructose from fruit because fruit contains fibre and anti-oxidants that compensate.

146 Reasons Why Sugar Is Ruining Your Health

Nor are artificial sweetners like aspartame the solution ... we all need to lose our sweet tooth ... eat more salad greens, raw vegetables, cooked vegetables, fresh fruit as well as some protein foods. It will prevent or slow the leading causes of death.

Buy organic if you can afford it, even if some non-organic food is safe because it stops the food industry trying to cut corners and putting profits before public health.

[Open Mind]

Originally Posted by Arouet

Right - no conspiracy needed. And let's not kid ourselves - it wasn't exactly healthy before the switch - the food industry is absolutely overrun with unhealthy stuff - that's not a conspiracy!

The point being there was an attempt to make food more healthy in the 1970s ... if the data showed the greater risk was sugars but fats got the blame instead because it was easier for the food industry to accomodate.... that is a conspiracy of sorts.

A conspiracy means 2 or more people are deceptive to achieve concealed different goal ... often concerning money.

Anyway I'm not going to discuss this topic further ... I've expressed my opinion on diet in previous topics. I'm far more interested in psi.

[Scott]

Originally Posted by Open Mind

You are making it sound safe and nothing to be concerned about ... although the body requires sugars to survive ... the ridiculous amount of sugar we eat in the diet is not like fructose from fruit because fruit contains fibre and anti-oxidants that compensate.

146 Reasons Why Sugar Is Ruining Your Health

Nor are artificial sweetners like aspartame the solution ... we all need to lose our sweet tooth ... eat more salad greens, raw vegetables, cooked vegetables, fresh fruit as well as some protein foods. It will prevent or slow the leading causes of death.

Buy organic if you can afford it, even if some non-organic food is safe because it stops the food industry trying to cut corners and putting profits before public health.

I was making no comment regarding a comparison of added sugar vs. sugars in the foods we eat.

I was specifically commenting on the difference of sucrose vs. HFCS of which there is little difference and even less difference in linking health downsides to one vs. the other. Excess sugars have health risks associated. There are distinct differences between simple and complex sugars.

Cellulose (fiber) is just glucose - we (humans) lack the enzyme and digestive tract to be able to break them apart, so they pass through us. If not, we could eat grass and wood for calories.