Most individuals strive to lead a healthy lifestyle. Keeping abreast of environmental issues is key in our quest to limit toxins in our day-to-day lives.
We have often heard that mercury can be found in dental fillings and some vaccines. We also know it may be present in fish, such as tuna and swordfish. It may, however, come as a surprise to know which other ‘food’ contains mercury.
It is evident that high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) would not be categorized as a health food. It is ubiquitous in processed foods. Not only used for its sweetness, it also helps prolong the shelf life of foods, and is inexpensive. More recently, it has been shown that high fructose corn syrup may contain traces of mercury.
An excerpt of the article is below:
“The findings come from two studies, one of which is published in the journal Environmental Health and the other is by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP). Dr David Wallinga, who works at the IATP, was involved in both studies. He told the press that mercury was toxic in all its forms, and that: “Given how much high fructose corn syrup is consumed by children, it could be a significant additional source of mercury never before considered. We are calling for immediate changes by industry and the FDA [Food and Drug Administration] to help stop this avoidable mercury contamination of the food supply,”
Use of HFCS as a sweetener instead of sugar has risen sharply in recent decades, and now is commonly used to sweeten breads, cereals, breakfast bars, beverages, luncheon meats, yogurts, soups, and condiments. According to IATP estimates, the average American probably eats about 12 teaspoons of HFCS a day, with teenagers and consumers on the higher end of the spectrum perhaps eating 80 per cent higher than this.
In the first Environmental Health study, researchers, led by Renee Dufault, who was working at the FDA at the time, found mercury in nearly 50 per cent (9 out of 20) of samples of commercial high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) they tested in 2005.
They concluded that the food industry, which is a large user of the sweetener, was mostly ignorant of the possibility that ingredients like HFCS could be tainted with mercury. According to an IATP press release, although the FDA had “evidence that commercial HFCS was contaminated with mercury four years ago”, the federal agency “did not inform consumers, help change industry practice or conduct additional testing”.In the second, IATP study, researchers sent 55 popular branded foods and drinks where HFCS is the first or second highest labelled ingredient to a commercial laboratory for testing; they found that nearly one third of them contained trace amounts of mercury. The brands included those made by Quaker, Hershey’s, Kraft and Smucker’s, big names in the US. The mercury was most prevalent in dairy products containing HFCS, followed by dressings and condiments that contained the sweetener.
How does the mercury get into the corn syrup? For decades, HFCS has been made using mercury-grade caustic soda produced in so-called “chlor-alkali” or industrial chlorine plants that use mercury cells. The caustic soda, which can thus contain traces of mercury, is used to separate the corn starch (that goes to make the syrup) from the kernel. The IATP said there are still four of the older chlor-alkali plants that use mercury cells in the US. In 2007, then Senator Barack Obama brought in legislation to make these plants phase out mercury cell technology by 2012.
While not all HFCS is made using chlor-alkali plants that use mercury cells, it is not possible to identify the source of HFCS in a product. Moreover, HFCS is best avoided, as it contributes to insulin resistance and obesity. In particular, it should not be consumed by pregnant and breast-feeding women.
What steps can be taken?
- Go back to the basics: eat a naturopathic diet.
- Eliminate processed foods.
- Read food labels: avoid foods that list high fructose corn syrup.
- Buy unsweetened dairy products (i.e. yogurt) and sweeten with fruit or honey/maple syrup.
- Make home-made salad dressing (e.g. balsamic vinegar and olive oil).
- For breakfast, opt for unsweetened oats. Add a banana, cinnamon and/or berries for flavour.
Reference: MedicalNewsToday