My husband was raised on Aunt Jemima pancake syrup and we keep it around just for him. A few weeks ago we ran out of Maple Syrup and my son begged me for some of "daddy's syrup." I gave in and when he came home from school it was with this message from his teacher "No more pancakes for breakfast please!" She didn't know that he often has pancakes, just usually with *maple syrup (and peanut butter to slow the absorption of the sugar into his blood stream).

It seems that word is getting out and that moms especially are being more careful about feeding their children High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS). However, I am not sure that everyone knows the extent to which our food is inundated with this stuff.

When I'm at the store and choosing let's say, bread, to put in my basket, I first scan the label for High Fructose Corn Syrup. Yep, even bread, even hotdogs have HFCS listed in their ingredients. If I see it listed on the label (How to Read a Label) I promptly put it back on the shelf and move on. I'm looking for something with sugar, cane sugar, honey, sucrose, etc. in place of HFCS. I generally end up with organic bread as they do not use High Fructose Corn syrup.

High Fructose Corn Syrup is made by using corn that has been genetically modified. The corn is then highly refined down to a concentrated type of sweetener in the form of syrup. If you'd like to study up on the exact process go to the  Corn Refiners Association website. Organic foods do not contain items that have been genetically modified (GMO). Thus, they do not use HFCS. You will see "corn syrup" listed as an ingredient at times, but this is not the same as HFCS and the corn syrup is not made using GMO corn.

There are three major reasons why HFCS is so widely used: easier to transport, longer shelf life, and the number one reason (drum roll please)…..Cost! FYI: Our government subsidizes (pays the farmers to grow) such crops as corn and wheat. Meaning, we have an abundance of these particular crops and can't eat or export them all. So somebody came up with the idea to make corn syrup (another came up with ethanol- hmmm gas or syrup? Who knew corn could be so diverse?).

Once you've decided that High Fructose Corn Syrup is something that you want to steer clear of then the real work begins. HFCS seems to be in everything. Those fruit snacks you put in your kids lunch? HFCS with a little fruit juice added for flavor (yeah, like 2%. I mean little). That Sunny Delight that is "better than orange juice?" again, HFCS and chemicals. It is in breads, cereals, juice, pop, soup, salad dressing, yogurt, ketchup, ice cream toppings. Honestly, just about everything (except organic).

Now, to top the whole HFCS topic off: HFCS does not fill us up! We can eat the entire box of Twinkies instead of just one package because our stomach doesn't send our brain a message that it's full. And then we ask ourselves. Why is obesity such a problem in our society? Why is the rate of childhood diabetes on a steady incline? You can test this for yourself. Buy a can of Coke or Pepsi, or whatever non-diet pop you want. Then buy a bottle of Jones Soda. Jones Soda is made with sugar, not HFCS. Ask yourself how you feel after the regular pop and then see how you feel after the Jones Soda. Do you feel satiated (full) after Jones or could you drink another? Everyone is different but even my husband feels full after Jones Soda. He doesn't want another. If you're not a pop drinker (like me) then make a batch of cookies with full butter and sugar. Could you eat the whole batch, or are you satiated after a few? I could eat the whole box of Oreo's but after three chocolate chip cookies made with regular sugar I'm full. Neither are low in calories but I think it's obvious which the better choice is health wise.

Still crave the Oreo's? Try Newman's Own or Health Valley cookies or just look in the health food section of your local store and see what they have to offer. Our dollars are worth more than our signatures, e-mails, calls, etc. We can all have an impact, big or small when we use our dollars to make better choices for our health and the health of our loved ones.

*note: Maple syrup is extremely high in sugar- ¼ c. has 53 grams so use as little as possible or substitute all fruit jam or honey.

*Question from reader: "Is regular corn syrup as bad for you as HFCS?"* _-Linda_

*Answer:* Great question! You know, I have researched that very question in detail and have had a hard time coming up with a solid answer. When you look at the ingredient list on _light_ Karo brand corn syrup it does list high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) as an ingredient. However, dark corn syrup does not list HFCS. Instead it has something called "refiners' sugar" (a cane sugar product with a molasses-like flavor) listed as it's second ingredient.

I have concluded that if you must use corn syrup (such as in my grandmother's favorite pecan pie recipe) then use a dark corn syrup that comes from your local health food store or co-op and if possible, buy organic. I wouldn't completely trust a big name brand. That being said, if you are making a pie once in a while, or using it to make popcorn balls for Halloween, it's not a big deal. It's when it's hidden (or not so hidden) in our daily food that it becomes a problem.