Yesterday I posted on the latest indicator that high fructose corn syrup is harmful and maybe even linked to diabetes risk. Naturally, the American Beverage Association vigorously rejects the report.

In the interest of balance, here's the opposing argument courtesy of the ABA's website. "There is absolutely no unique link between soft drinks sweetened with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and diabetes, in children or adults. In fact, it is a stretch of the imagination to link the laboratory findings of this unpublished in vitro study with the occurrence of diabetes in humans." Ooh, "unpublished." Ouch. Nice veiled barb, there.

The statement goes on in some detail, basically saying if the harmful reactive carbonyls occur naturally in a number of foods, why single out HFCS?

Well, you can't blame them for defending themselves. But I laughed at the following: "Singling out any one food, beverage or ingredient as a unique cause or contributor to diabetes is simply not supported by science." I dunno. A study led by a professor of food science at Rutgers. Sure sounds like science to me...

A lot of people I know avoid foods that list high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) as an ingredient. Apart from the calories they add to foods, there's a growing belief that lab-devised products like HFCS are simply unnatural and may be harmful. Wikipedia has an interesting article on the origins and controversy surrounding HFCS, if you want to learn more.

Not surprisingly, the food industry has always defended HFCS against claims that it is harmful. But here's the latest contradiction of that claim: a recent study found that HFCS is "astonishingly" high in reactive carbonyls, which are thought to contribute to the development of diabetes. The study was led by Dr. Chi-tang Ho, head of Rutgers University's Department of Food Science, and colleagues. They concluded that one can of HFCS-sweetened soda contains five times the reactive carbonyls that are normally found in the blood of a person with diabetes.

A news release by the American Chemical Society, announcing Dr. Ho's findings, notes that previous studies have already linked HFCS to cell and tissue damage. They suggest that HFCS consumption may raise the risk of diabetes, not to mention obesity. Say's Dr. Ho: "People consume too much high-fructose corn syrup in this country. It's in way too many food and drink products and there's growing evidence that it's bad for you."

In reality, even though we watch our diet, blood sugar is not a perfect science. However it is known that some foods are more influential than others. These foods are mostly carbohydrates - and they can affect more than just our blood sugar. Carbohydrates can affect our moods and appetite through a neurotransmitter called serotonin.

Serotonin is unique in that it is indirectly controlled by foods, specifically carbohydrates. It's not surprising that eating foods like chocolate cake and potato chips can lift your spirits for a moment or two - but the aftermath doesn't always seem as exhilarating. This becomes a fattening trend, after a while. Why do we get a spiritual uplift from indulging in these no no yum yums?

There is an explanation for this fattening fix. Different sugars affect the brain in different ways. Beware of sugars that are more processed like: glucose, dextrose, and sucrose. These sugars enter the bloodstream quickly, reaching high levels in a short time. This triggers the release of large amounts of insulin. The evolution of man has not adapted for highly refined sugars. This type of sugar is quickly ushered to the cells. Depending on how active a person you are - this energy may not be used up and therefore results to fat storage. A good indicator to use when choosing carbs is the glycemic index. The lower you stay on the index, the less the overall impact on your blood sugar rise. Checkout Fifty50 glycemic index for a list of everyday foods.

It has been suggested in the past that high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), that cheap and ubiquitous sweetener, is to blame for soaring rates of obesity -- and its associated health problems, not least of which is diabetes. The theory was that HFCS was not as effective as ordinary refined white sugar (table sugar) at creating a feeling of fullness and suppressing the appetite. However, the results of a new study show that the human body processes HFCS in the same way that it processes regular sugar. The study involved tests on thirty normal-weight women who volunteered to consume various sugary beverages along with their normal meals. After analyzing the women's blood sugar levels, insulin levels, and leptin or ghrelin hormone levels (which are believed to regulate food intake), the researchers concluded that the body does not care which type of sugar it is imbibing. Which blows that old theory out of the water, I guess. Although I should mention that this study was funded by PepsiCo.

"It's the crack of sweeteners," says Rep. Juan Zapata (pictured), Miami Republican, of high fructose corn syrup. Zapata, quoted in a Miami Herald article, and other lawmakers have declared war on the product that now seems ubiquitous, especially in processed foods aimed at school-aged children. Their conclusion? The abundant supply of such foods at schools, in cafeterias and vending machines, is one of the reasons for spiraling rates of childhood obesity and diabetes amongst youngsters. Zapata and his allies want to see the product banned from Florida's schools, and have filed a bill to that effect. Naturally, lobbyists for the corn syrup industry dispute allegations that the product is bad for your health. What really got me about this article, however, was the fact that the American Diabetes Association (ADA), when asked to weigh in on the debate, took such a wishy-washy position that it  may as well have openly come down on the side of the corn syrup industry. An ADA spokeswoman is quoted as saying "We don't think that high-fructose corn syrup is the enemy. People can have anything they want as long as it's in moderation." Huh? Well, isn't that the problem, ADA? Many schools in the US offer zero healthy and appetizing food options for kids. Soda machines are everywhere. So, yes, in theory it's true that no one food product is to blame for epidemic obesity and diabetes in American kids. But we live here, in reality.