what do you think of these hacks for eating better/healthier?

[Luke Everhart]

My local farm store sells lots of fresh foods, and it also sells candy and baked goods made with hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup, two food additives known to be dangerous and/or worthless. That's the conundrum; amid genuine plenty, we also have a large amount of poisons available. Don't get me started on the chemicals the farmers put on the crops.

is high fructose corn syrup in all sweets, chocolates, biscuits, and baked goods or can you avoid it by reading the labels?

I don't think I’ve ever read high fructose corn syrup on any food label here. Of course I’ve often read hydrogenated oils. Can’t escape those unless one totally gives up all processed foods.

No, it's not in all those. It's quite common but you can find any of those things on your list without it.
The thing about high fructose corn syrup is... odd.
It's implicated as harmful to health (particularly in regards to fatty liver) because of the 55% fructose content (the remaining 45% is glucose). And it's true that fructose, unlike glucose, passes from the small intestines into the liver to be metabolized there rather than being transported to cells from the blood stream like glucose; and, yes, that's bad because excess is converted to fat (lipogenesis) and both contribute to fatty liver and increases triglyceride levels generally.

But the oddities about the concern over HFCS are several:
Sucrose (table sugar) is 50% fructose and 50% glucose. Not a huge difference in the fructose percentage and that fructose makes the same demands and has the same deleterious effects on the liver and metabolic health.
Fructose is a sugar found in high amounts in all fruit ,and many contain a much higher percentage than high fructose corn syrup's 55%. Apples are almost 75% fructose, as far as sugar content. Most melons are similar. Bananas, peaches, grapefruits, oranges, and grapes all range from 45-60% fructose.
Honey is, on average, 50% fructose, though different sources of honey vary and it can be as low as 40% to as high as 60% or so.
So... while it's true that high fructose corn syrup is bad for you, it's only the case because of the sheer quantity of it we can consume without even knowing it because it's added to so many things.

[Vidya]

Luke, what you said about high fructose corn syrup surprised me, and also alarmed me since my parents eat apples under the assumption they’re low sugar and safe.

so I googled to see which fruits are high and low in fructose.  It sounds like the fructose in fruit is safe:

What fruits are high in fructose?
Fructose content of food

    Fruit and fruit juices: apple, cherry, grape, guava, litchi, mango, melon (honeydew and watermelon), orange, papaya, pear, persimmon, pineapple, quince, star fruit. ...
    Most dried fruit, including currant, dates, dried fruit or health bars, figs, raisins.

What fruits are low in fructose?
People who have fructose intolerance should limit high-fructose foods, such as juices, apples, grapes, watermelon, asparagus, peas and zucchini. Some lower fructose foods — such as bananas, blueberries, strawberries, carrots, avocados, green beans and lettuce — may be tolerated in limited quantities with meals.

Is Apple high in sugar?
Apples Only Moderately Affect Blood Sugar Levels

Apples do contain sugar, but much of the sugar found in apples is fructose. When fructose is consumed in a whole fruit, it has very little effect on blood sugar levels ( 7 ). Also, the fiber in apples slows down the digestion and absorption of sugar.

I’m not fond of apples and seldom eat them. I like oranges, grapes, and mangoes.

I’ve always been very glad I never took to tea or coffee because if I had, I’d have have taken sugar with it. It amazes me that people can take a whole teaspoon of sugar in every cup of tea or coffee. That sounds like such a huge sugar overload.

On the other hand, I eat 2 or 3 helpings of white rice practically every day, so what do I have to be complacent about? I read the acceptable limit is 2 or 3 helpings a WEEK. Again, I devoutly hope I have inherited my father’s constitution and can eat any garbage without it having any negative effect for decades at least. My mother often fell sick even when younger, but I seldom do, so I doubt I’ve inherited her constitution.

Which oil do you guys cook with? I use sunflower oil for curries and frying.

I tried cooking with peanut oil and didn't like the taste. It has a strong peanut smell while sunflower oil is more unobtrusive.


Google says:

Which oil is best for heart?

Good choices include olive oil, flaxseed oil, sesame oil and avocado oil – choose an oil that you can afford and like the taste of, for these dishes.

Which oil is healthiest for frying?

canola oil

Oils that contain lower levels of linoleic acid, such as olive and canola oil, are better for frying. Polyunsaturated oils, such as corn, sunflower, and safflower, are best for using in dressings rather than cooking with.

[Maggie Ann]

Luke, I read it’s dangerous to eat raw eggs. Too much risk of salmonella.

My dad used to make egg nog with raw eggs quite often and he'd share with me.

Mine, too. Raw eggs and a lot of white sugar and nothing else. I never knew it was a drink until years later.

Also cinnamon and vanilla.

[Luke Everhart]

Luke, what you said about high fructose corn syrup surprised me, and also alarmed me since my parents eat apples under the assumption they’re low sugar and safe.

so I googled to see which fruits are high and low in fructose.  It sounds like the fructose in fruit is safe:

What fruits are high in fructose?
Fructose content of food

    Fruit and fruit juices: apple, cherry, grape, guava, litchi, mango, melon (honeydew and watermelon), orange, papaya, pear, persimmon, pineapple, quince, star fruit. ...
    Most dried fruit, including currant, dates, dried fruit or health bars, figs, raisins.

What fruits are low in fructose?
People who have fructose intolerance should limit high-fructose foods, such as juices, apples, grapes, watermelon, asparagus, peas and zucchini. Some lower fructose foods — such as bananas, blueberries, strawberries, carrots, avocados, green beans and lettuce — may be tolerated in limited quantities with meals.

Is Apple high in sugar?
Apples Only Moderately Affect Blood Sugar Levels

Apples do contain sugar, but much of the sugar found in apples is fructose. When fructose is consumed in a whole fruit, it has very little effect on blood sugar levels ( 7 ). Also, the fiber in apples slows down the digestion and absorption of sugar.

I’m not fond of apples and seldom eat them. I like oranges, grapes, and mangoes.

I’ve always been very glad I never took to tea or coffee because if I had, I’d have have taken sugar with it. It amazes me that people can take a whole teaspoon of sugar in every cup of tea or coffee. That sounds like such a huge sugar overload.

On the other hand, I eat 2 or 3 helpings of white rice practically every day, so what do I have to be complacent about? I read the acceptable limit is 2 or 3 helpings a WEEK. Again, I devoutly hope I have inherited my father’s constitution and can eat any garbage without it having any negative effect for decades at least. My mother often fell sick even when younger, but I seldom do, so I doubt I’ve inherited her constitution.

The fructose in apples is the same fructose as high fructose corn syrup, honey, etc.
But, yes, fructose from all sources does not raise blood sugar nearly as much as glucose. It actually has a lower glycemic index than not only glucose but most starchy foods (like rice). So from a blood sugar point of view, it's better even if from HFCS.

The health impact of fructose is owing primarily to it being processed by the liver rather than absorbed directly from the blood stream. Fructose is implicated as a major factor in fatty liver disease and elevated triglycerides.

So, as with many things in diet, it's a mixed bag; and, of course, quantity consumed is a major consideration.

Here is a little piece on fructose from Harvard health publishing:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/abundance-of-fructose-not-good-for-the-liver-heart

[Luke Everhart]

Which oil do you guys cook with? I use sunflower oil for curries and frying.

I tried cooking with peanut oil and didn't like the taste. It has a strong peanut smell while sunflower oil is more unobtrusive.


Google says:

Which oil is best for heart?

Good choices include olive oil, flaxseed oil, sesame oil and avocado oil – choose an oil that you can afford and like the taste of, for these dishes.

Which oil is healthiest for frying?

canola oil

Oils that contain lower levels of linoleic acid, such as olive and canola oil, are better for frying. Polyunsaturated oils, such as corn, sunflower, and safflower, are best for using in dressings rather than cooking with.

I only use olive oil, avocado oil, and coconut oil, whether for cooking or adding cold (like olive oil on salad).
For cooking, avocado oil (it has a higher smoke point than olive oil) is reasonably good imo; but, if you don't buy into the long discredited Ancel Keys nonsense about saturated fat and CVD, then coconut oil is great and I often use it.

[Jan Hurst-Nicholson]

I only use olive oil, avocado oil, and coconut oil, whether for cooking or adding cold (like olive oil on salad).
For cooking, avocado oil (it has a higher smoke point than olive oil) is reasonably good imo; but, if you don't buy into the long discredited Ancel Keys nonsense about saturated fat and CVD, then coconut oil is great and I often use it.

I also use olive oil and coconut oil (not the deodorised oil as that can destroy some of the health benefits). Sesame oil is also a good choice for certain recipes.

[idontknowyet]

Butter (I mean the real stuff made from cream.)
Olive oil EVOO cold pressed only
Lard (aka bacon fat)

I am not a purist when it comes to eating. I've been known to enjoy a quest cookie or other yummy snack, but for the most part I try to stick to healthy oils. Yes I consider animal fats a healthier oil than most any processed fat. Yes I've checked my cholesterol and all that. I'm in the lowest risk groups..

[Vidya]

Luke, thanks for that article on fructose from Harvard health publishing. You said:

And it's true that fructose, unlike glucose, passes from the small intestines into the liver to be metabolized there rather than being transported to cells from the blood stream like glucose; and, yes, that's bad because excess is converted to fat (lipogenesis) and both contribute to fatty liver and increases triglyceride levels generally.

and yes, Harvard health says:

The entry of fructose into the liver kicks off a series of complex chemical transformations. (You can see a diagram of these at health.harvard.edu/172.) One remarkable change is that the liver uses fructose, a carbohydrate, to create fat. This process is called lipogenesis. Give the liver enough fructose, and tiny fat droplets begin to accumulate in liver cells (see figure). This buildup is called nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, because it looks just like what happens in the livers of people who drink too much alcohol.

what I’d like to know is, even if I intake excess fructose, will tiny fat droplets really begin to accumulate in MY liver cells?

Because my body’s an anomaly. It never got the message that when I intake calories, they’re supposed to be stored as fat. It burns up everything I eat and stores nothing as fat.

So would my liver even be able to accumulate any fat?

I really want to know.

I also want to know something else. Can you please post again that article you showed me explaining why some people can’t gain weight? I meant to save it but forgot. What I found most appealing about it was the info that such people also metabolize sugar better.

If that is true, it may be what prevents me getting diabetes thanks to my hopeless rice addiction.
 
am I doomed to get diabetes because I am unable to overcome my rice addiction, and eat 2 to 3 servings a day?

But the majority of Indians eat as I do. They don't all get diabetes. Unless they do in their old age. Who’s keeping track? Maybe they all get it. All I know is India is said to be the diabetes capital of the world thanks to our high carb diet.

And maybe the fact my body burn up all calories also means it will burn up sugar or metabolize it before it can do me any harm? I really want to know that that’s the case.

Who could tell me? are there doctors in the US who could know?

I keep reading the meat in the US is full of hormones. Don't you guys worry about getting cancer? I feel like I might have asked this question before. Or did I just think of asking it but I forgot to actually ask, since I don't recall any replies.