BUBnCHUNK's HEALTH BAR: not all SUGAR is the same.

Just recently read an article from Dr. Mercola about High Fructose Corn Syrup and how the Corn Refiners Association has allowed manufacturers to use the name "corn sugar" instead. So if you see that ingredient on any of your food packaging, its the same as HFCS. It's very pathetic now days how processed our food has become. Part of what makes HFCS such an unhealthy product is that it is metabolized to fat in your body far more rapidly than any other sugar. Please take the time to read all your ingredients and learn what things you should avoid. Unless you buy it organic, corn itself if a highly genetically modified ingredient. Look for and avoid any foods with corn syrup, corn sugar and HFCS. There are a lot of products out there that have good pure ingredients in them and of course you will pay a higher price but that price for you and your family's health are worth it. Here's a little insight on the sugar 'fructose'

How Fructose Wrecks Your Health

Contrary to industry claims, your body does NOT recognize and treat all sugars the same.
HFCS is a highly processed product that contains similar amounts of unbound fructose and glucose.
Fructose and glucose are metabolized in very different ways in your body.
Glucose is metabolized in every cell of your body and is converted to blood glucose, while all fructose is metabolized in your liver, where it’s quickly converted to fat and cholesterol. (When a diet includes a large amount of fructose, it can therefore create fatty liver, and even cirrhosis.)
Sucrose, on the other hand, is a larger sugar molecule that is metabolized into glucose and fructose in your intestine.
Fructose is metabolized to fat in your body far more rapidly than any other sugar, and, because most fructose is consumed in liquid form (soda), its negative metabolic effects are further magnified.
Why does it turn to fat more readily than other sugar?
Most fats are formed in your liver, and when sugar enters your liver, it decides whether to store it, burn it or turn it into fat. However, researchers have discovered that fructose bypasses this process and turns directly into fat.

One of the Simplest Ways to Improve Your Health NOW!

I recommend that you avoid sugar as much as possible, particularly fructose in all its forms.
This is especially important if you are overweight or have diabetes, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure as fructose will clearly worsen all of these conditions.
However, I also realize we don’t live in a perfect world, and following rigid dietary guidelines is not always practical or even possible.
If you want to use a sweetener occasionally, this is what I recommend:

Use the herb stevia. My favorites are the flavored liquid bottles.

Use organic cane sugar in moderation.

Use organic raw honey in moderation, but remember, honey is also very high in fructose so it is not an ideal replacement.

Avoid ALL artificial sweeteners, which can damage your health even more quickly than fructose.

Avoid agave syrup since it is a highly processed sap that is almost all fructose. Your blood sugar will spike just as it would if you were consuming regular sugar or HFCS. Agave’s meteoric rise in popularity is due to another great marketing campaign, but any health benefits present in the original agave plant are eliminated during processing.

Avoid so-called energy drinks, sports drinks, and vitamin-enriched waters because they are loaded with sugar, sodium and chemical additives. Rehydrating with pure, fresh water is your best choice.

If you or your child is involved in athletics, I recommend you read my article Energy Rules for some great tips on how to optimize your child’s energy levels and physical performance through optimal nutrition.

As a last precaution, if you have high fasting insulin levels (anything above 3), high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, or if you’re overweight, I strongly recommend avoiding ALL sweeteners, including stevia, until you’ve normalized your condition.
This is because any sweetener can decrease your insulin sensitivity, which as I’ve mentioned before, which drives up your risk of nearly every disease there is, from diabetes to cancer.