Trick or Treat?

Most candy that will be handed out to kids this Halloween Eve will contain high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). While HFCS tastes great it may not be the healthiest thing to be feeding America's children. According to the Mayo Clinic:

High fructose corn syrup is made by changing the sugar (glucose) in cornstarch to fructose - another form of sugar. The end product is a combination of fructose and glucose. Because it extends the shelf life of processed foods and is cheaper than sugar, high-fructose corn syrup has become a popular ingredient in many sodas, fruit-flavored drinks and other processed foods.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/high-fructose-corn-syrup

High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has increasingly been linked to childhood obesity and other health problems. According to Science Daily in a 2007 article:

Researchers have found new evidence that soft drinks sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) may contribute to the development of diabetes, particularly in children. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070823094819.htm

The potential health consequences related to consuming high fructose corn syrup doesn't have to rule out Halloween candy. Candy sweetened with other unrefined sugars such as barley malt, brown rice syrup, date sugar, fruit sweeteners, honey, maple syrup, molasses, stevia, suscanat and turbinado are available. All of these less refined sugars can be substituted for high fructose corn syrup, though each has its own sweetness ratio when compared to HFCS or sugar. Most home recipes call for refined white sugar. As a rule of thumb:

Sweetener/ Amount to Replace 1 Cup of Sugar / Reduce Liquid By

Barley Malt / 1 - 1 1/4 cup / 1/4 cup

Brown Rice Syrup / 1 - 1 1/4 cup / 1/4 cup

Date Sugar /2/3 cup / none

Fruit Sweeteners / 1 cup / 1/4 cup

Honey / 1/2 cup / 1/4 cup

Maple Syrup / 1/2 - 1/3 cup / 1/4 cup

Molassas /1/2 cup / none

Stevia / 1/2 cup / none

Sucanat / 1 cup / none

(NCGA Sweeteners Pamphlet, 2007)

Though the evidence regarding the potential risks of HFCS is still in debate, it cannot hurt to substitute natural unrefined sugars whenever possible. Tidal Creek stocks many of these alternatives to refined white sugar and high fructose corn syrup, and, increasingly, more main stream grocery chains are beginning to carry alternatives to HFCS.