These commercials make HealthyRache very angry ... that's right ... ANGRY. I can't believe they are allowed to spread such harmful, inaccurate, deliberately confusing statements to an already misled audience. This is just as bad as the pro-smoking commercials of the past.

Rather than make this review into an angry rant, I'll let you know exactly why these commercials are so disastrous to the nutrition community ... and the average American citizen. Read on so that when this scenario plays out in real life, you can have an intelligent response prepared for the question proposed in this series of commercials: "Why is high-fructose corn syrup so bad?" Believe it or not, there are reasons to avoid it.

• First of all, it is glaringly obvious that the producers of the campaign commercial are from the Corn Refiners Association ... HA! Why would they have any reason to deny that their product is anything less than perfect? Do they provide statistical evidence and hard facts? Is there an endorsement from anyone with extensive knowledge on nutrition? Nope and nope.
• In every one of their commercials, it is stated that high-fructose corn syrup isn't the enemy. Why? "High-fructose corn syrup is made from corn, has no artificial ingredients, has the same calories as sugar and is okay to eat in moderation." To be fair, parts of this statement are true -- it is made from a derivative of corn and it is similar to other sweeteners in terms of calories. But the trouble of it is that high-fructose corn syrup in nearly EVERY processed food the average American eats and they probably don't even know it -- from juice drinks and popsicles to whole wheat breads and organic ketchup.
• By stating that it is just as harmless as table sugar they are understating the fact that sugar, in any form, is a major contributor to the health problems we now face in this country and that it is by no means being consumed in moderation. Unless you are checking labels for it on a regular basis, it is tough to consume it in moderation -- impossible really.
• Perhaps the most dangerous effect of these commercials is that most if not all snacks marketed toward children are loaded with the stuff. These commercials will further mislead parents into thinking that it is totally harmless to keep feeding them sugary treats with every meal.
• My final point -- smoking could be considered okay in moderation, but if the tobacco industry tried to pull a similar stunt and release a series of commercials promoting it as a cheaper, healthier alternative to cigars, they'd be stopped in their tracks. Why is it that no one is up in arms about this campaign?

So if high-fructose corn syrup is so bad, then why did it end up in so many processed foods? Well, the short answer is that it extends the shelf life of processed foods and is cheaper than sugar. So whether or not it is the sole reason for obesity (doubtful), it is definitely not being added to your food to make you healthier. Consuming processed foods packed with sweeteners and calories have the potential to contribute to obesity, diabetes and coronary artery disease. So hopefully, next time you are asked by a friend why you don't let your kids consume it, you'll have something to say other than "Hmm ... umm ... Gee I dunno" like the actors in the commercial. Instead, tell them that you want to decrease your child's chances of developing type two diabetes and set them on a path to making good nutrition choices in the future. I sincerely hope there is a day in the near future when people understand how dangerous their food choices are and that food producers and the USDA start giving the public the truth about good nutrition, rather than the lies that enable them to profit off of our ignorance.