What's wrong with corn syrup? It's uses include tanning leather and polishing shoes.

What is corn syrup? Why is it bad for you? These are the major questions.

Corn syrup is a glucose syrup made from the starch of corn. Part of its glucose content is converted to fructose through chemical processing. It came to be in the 70s when the price of corn was very low due to the government subsidizing the corn industry. It is now used by companies as a sugar substitute because of how cheap it is.

To make matters worse, 92% of our corn today is genetically modified (GMO), made to be resistant to chemicals and pesticides. Corn is a questionable crop to begin with, now take into account all of the chemical processing that is done to it to create corn syrup.

corn syrup sweetener used in leather

The Corn Refiners Association (CRA) talks about the different uses of its popular sweetener, corn syrup, in not just food, but in antibiotics, tanning leather, and in shoe polish. Yikes. Do you want to be consuming an ingredients that is also being used to make these 3 products? I hope not!

What does corn syrup due to your body?

  • Increases hunger and desire for food

  • Effects reward processing areas of the brain

  • Increases risk of type 2 diabetes

  • Increases blood pressure and cholesterol

  • Increases inflammation in the body

Look for natural forms of sugar like cane sugar, maple syrup, and dates instead. Better yet, choose products with no added sugar at all!

Resources:

Differential effects of fructose versus glucose on brain and appetitive responses to food cues and decisions for food rewards

High fructose corn syrup and diabetes prevalence: A global perspective

Energy and Fructose From Beverages Sweetened With Sugar or High-Fructose Corn Syrup Pose a Health Risk for Some People