Alert from Momma J: The Truth About Corn Syrup

Hey there, friends! It’s Momma J, and today we’re having a little sit-down about a sneaky ingredient that’s quietly making its way into your pantry—and your health. I’m talking about corn syrup, specifically high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Now, I know life gets busy, and we all reach for convenience sometimes, but let’s be real: this stuff isn’t just in sodas and candy bars—it’s practically everywhere. And worse? It’s doing some serious damage to your health and your family’s, too.

So, grab your tea (sweetened naturally, of course), and let’s dive into why corn syrup deserves a hard pass in our homes.

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What Is Corn Syrup, and Why Is It Everywhere?

Corn syrup is a liquid sweetener made from corn starch. It’s cheap, shelf-stable, and makes food taste sweeter. The food industry loves it because it saves them money while keeping you coming back for more. High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), the more processed version, is in just about every processed food you can think of.

But here’s the deal—HFCS doesn’t just add extra calories. It’s actively harming your body, and I’m not just talking about the scale. Let me break it down for you.

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How Corn Syrup Is Hurting Your Health

1. Diabetes: A Sweet Shortcut to Trouble

Corn syrup overloads your liver, turning fructose into fat that gums up the works. This process leads to insulin resistance, and before you know it, you’re on the road to Type 2 diabetes. This isn’t just a theory—it’s science.

Robert H. Lustig, Fat Chance: Beating the Odds Against Sugar, Processed Food, Obesity, and Disease (New York: Penguin, 2012), 56-60.

2. Brain Decline: Sugar and Your Memory Don’t Mix

Did you know too much sugar can hurt your brain? Diets high in HFCS lead to inflammation that damages brain function. Researchers even call Alzheimer’s "Type 3 diabetes" because of how sugar harms the brain. That’s right—what you eat today can affect your memory tomorrow.

Suzanne de la Monte, “Type 3 Diabetes Is Sporadic Alzheimer’s Disease: Mini-Review,” European Neuropsychopharmacology 24, no. 12 (2014): 1954-1960.

3. Dangerous Fat: The Killer You Can’t See

This is the scary part: HFCS promotes the buildup of visceral fat. That’s the fat hiding deep inside, around your organs. This isn’t the kind of fat you pinch—it’s the kind that squeezes your blood vessels and raises your risk for heart disease and strokes. Oh, and it ramps up triglycerides (those sneaky fats in your blood), clogging arteries and putting you at risk for heart attacks.

Barry Popkin, “The World Is Fat: The Fads, Trends, Policies, and Products That Are Fattening the Human Race,” Public Health Nutrition 12, no. 1 (2009): 1-7.

4. Cholesterol Isn’t the Enemy—Sugar Is

Y’all, let’s clear this up once and for all: cholesterol isn’t your enemy. Your body needs it for hormones, brain health, and cell repair. The real problem is inflammation caused by sugar. HFCS fuels metabolic dysfunction and raises the kind of bad fats that really clog arteries.

David Ludwig, Always Hungry? Conquer Cravings, Retrain Your Fat Cells, and Lose Weight Permanently (New York: Grand Central Life & Style, 2016), 128-134.

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Where Corn Syrup Is Hiding in Your Food

Corn syrup is sneaky, y’all. It’s in more places than you might think:

Sodas and Juices: Think Coke, Sprite, Capri Sun.

Condiments: Ketchup, barbecue sauce, salad dressings.

Snacks: Granola bars, crackers, even "healthy" protein bars.

Baked Goods: Store-bought bread, pastries, cakes.

Breakfast Foods: Pancake syrups, cereals, frozen waffles.

Candy and Sweets: Pretty much all of them.

Canned Foods: Fruit cocktails, baked beans, soups.

Read those labels, friends! If you see "high-fructose corn syrup," you know what to do—put it back.

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What Can You Do Instead?

Don’t worry—you don’t have to give up sweetness completely. Here’s what I use at Johnson Homestead:

Raw Honey: It’s sweet, natural, and full of antioxidants.

Maple Syrup: Pure, unprocessed, and rich in minerals.

Stevia or Monk Fruit: Great calorie-free alternatives from plants.

These options work with your body, not against it. Plus, they taste better. Win-win!

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Why It Matters

Corn syrup isn’t just a little bad—it’s a lot bad. It’s linked to diabetes, dementia, heart disease, and dangerous fat buildup around your organs. But the good news? You don’t need it. By sticking to whole, natural ingredients, you can protect your health and your family’s.

At Johnson Homestead, we’ve kicked corn syrup to the curb, and I promise you can, too. Let’s get back to basics, y’all—real food, real sweetness, and real health.

Stay rooted,

Momm J

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References

1. Lustig, Robert H. Fat Chance: Beating the Odds Against Sugar, Processed Food, Obesity, and Disease. New York: Penguin, 2012.

2. de la Monte, Suzanne. “Type 3 Diabetes Is Sporadic Alzheimer’s Disease: Mini-Review.” European Neuropsychopharmacology 24, no. 12 (2014): 1954-1960.

3. Popkin, Barry. “The World Is Fat: The Fads, Trends, Policies, and Products That Are Fattening the Human Race.” Public Health Nutrition 12, no. 1 (2009): 1-7.

4. Ludwig, David. Always Hungry? Conquer Cravings, Retrain Your Fat Cells, and Lose Weight Permanently. New York: Grand Central Life & Style, 2016.