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Corn syrup fights back: Round 2
Posted on October 29th, 2008 No comments
A few posts ago, I expressed annoyance at a new ad campaign by the Corn Refiners Association, claiming that high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is really no worse for you than sugar. Having been told over and over again than corn syrup is one of the reasons we Americans are so fat, my immediate reaction was to label the campaign as propaganda. Even worse, I supported the argument with a quote from Dr. Mercola, someone who I’ve since discovered is a complete quack.Perhaps HFCS has indeed been given unfair treatment. There are studies linking it to obesity, but this link could simply be due to overconsumption of products containing HFCS, products that would be just as unhealthy if sweetened with something else.
The health effects of HFCS certainly need to be studied further, but as of today, it’s not a slam-dunk win for either side.
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PETA vs. cow milk
Posted on October 8th, 2008 No comments
PETA spokesperson. Coincidence?
The conditions in dairy farms today are such that cows being used for milk undergo quite a bit of suffering. PETA has a solution that will decrease demand for cow milk as well as improve human health: say no to the udder and yes to the human teat.PETA has gone as far as writing a letter to Ben and Jerry’s Homemade Inc., urging the owners to make the switch to breast milk. (I’m not sure what the response was, but I can take a good guess.)
Although in theory the idea makes sense, in practice it’s more than a little disturbing. Sure, consuming the milk without gagging will be a challenge, but more importantly, how the hell are we going to collect it? Donations? Women farms?
The root of PETA’s overall mission is a good one. It’s a shame that the organization is run by a bunch of nuts.
