Is tainting food with mercury a crime? Apparently only if you’re a citizen and not a major corporation or a United States government agency. One retired pharmacist was rightfully arrested after contaminating cafeteria food with heavily toxic mercury, yet no action has been taken against processed food manufacturers whose products are known to contain mercury. Nor has action been taken against the FDA, the organization that sits idly by as consumers continue to eat mercury-laden processed foods that make up on average about 90% of the US food supply.

It’s no conspiracy theory, the Washington Times — a mainstream news publication — was actually the first to report on the crisis back in 2009. Now more than 3 years ago, activist groups expressed serious outrage over the findings. Two individual scientific studies found the presence of the hazardous element mercury in nearly half of all high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) test samples. HFCS, of course, is a ubiquitous and oftentimes genetically altered ingredient that pervades the vast majority of processed foods. It makes sense, then, that mercury was identified in nearly a third of 55 popular brand-name food and beverage products which listed high-fructose corn syrup as the first-or-second-highest labeled ingredient.

Despite calls by scientific organizations for the FDA to take action regarding the findings, they did nothing:

“Mercury is toxic in all its forms. Given how much high-fructose corn syrup is consumed by children, it could be a significant additional source of mercury never before considered. We are calling for immediate changes by industry and the [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] to help stop this avoidable mercury contamination of the food supply,” the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy’s Dr. David Wallinga, a co-author of both studies, said in a prepared statement.

Retired pharmacist Martin Kimber was arrested for adding mercury to Albany Medical Center cafeteria food, finding a small metal ball of liquid in one individual’s chicken finger meal. Of course what Kimber did was truly horrible and he should be rightfully charged, but are what these major food manufacturers doing differently? Furthermore, is the FDA any better for letting it happen? What’s more is that Kimber’s attempts of mercury contamination only affected a small number of diners, whereas the presence of mercury in processed foods affects the entire globe.

Kimber was charged with a felony — first-degree tampering with a consumer product. When will consumers stand up and demand that corporations and the FDA answer to why they have allowed mercury to remain in the food supply?

Why has the FDA ignored the fact that mercury, an element that is highly toxic in all forms, was found in a large number of brand-name processed foods? Specifically, the mercury content was found to be contained in high-fructose corn syrup, which also reportedly contains genetically modified ingredients. Instead of addressing this major public health concern, the FDA is focusing their time on crushing beneficial supplements through ridiculous NDI regulations that threaten the entire infrastructure of the nutraceuticals industry.

Researchers from two U.S. studies reported that about half of tested samples of high-fructose corn syrup contained mercury. Mercury was also found in nearly a third of 55 popular brand-name food and beverage products which listed high-fructose corn syrup as the first-or-second-highest labeled ingredient.

Following the report, organizations like the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy called on the FDA for immediate action:

“Mercury is toxic in all its forms. Given how much high-fructose corn syrup is consumed by children, it could be a significant additional source of mercury never before considered. We are calling for immediate changes by industry and the [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] to help stop this avoidable mercury contamination of the food supply,” the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy’s Dr. David Wallinga, a co-author of both studies, said in a prepared statement.

Americans Consumed Over 37 Pounds of Mercury-Laden HFCS in 2008

Mercury is toxic in any dosage, but the information becomes even more alarming when you consider the fact that the average American consumed 37.8 pounds of high-fructose corn syrup in 2008! If this is not explosive enough on its own, remember the fact that this is but one source of mercury exposure. CFL light bulbs, mercury-contaminated seafood, and some dental fillings are a few sources of mercury exposure that affect millions of individuals.

The ubiquitous nature of high-fructose corn syrup in processed food products makes it difficult to avoid if you are on a junk food diet that is devoid of essential nutrients. Unfortunately, a large number of people worldwide subscribe to this nutritional program while in the dark regarding the true effects that such a diet can have on the human body. Until the FDA decides to step in (which simply will not happen unless activists make enough noise), protecting yourself and your family against HFCS is your priority. If you eat 100% organic food items, or grow your own organic food, you will not have to worry about toxic high-fructose corn syrup.

It’s time to tell the FDA to focus on the real issues, like toxic elements in our food supply — not health-promoting supplements that have improved lives and boosted immune systems.

In 2009, a study found that almost half of commercial high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) contained mercury — a carcinogenic chemical element that is toxic in all its forms to the human body. Even more troubling, nearly a third of 55 popular brand-name food and beverage products that listed HFCS as the first or second ingredient were found to contain mercury as a whole. It is clear that mercury is highly present in the HFCS-laced food supply, so why is it still on our shelves?

The Washington Times reports on the 2009 study:

HFCS has replaced sugar as the sweetener in many beverages and foods such as breads, cereals, breakfast bars, lunch meats, yogurts, soups and condiments. On average, Americans consume about 12 teaspoons per day of HFCS, but teens and other high consumers can take in 80 percent more HFCS than average.

“Mercury is toxic in all its forms. Given how much high-fructose corn syrup is consumed by children, it could be a significant additional source of mercury never before considered. We are calling for immediate changes by industry and the [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] to help stop this avoidable mercury contamination of the food supply,” the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy’s Dr. David Wallinga, a co-author of both studies, said in a prepared statement.

In the first study, published in current issue of Environmental Health, researchers found detectable levels of mercury in nine of 20 samples of commercial HFCS.

And in the second study, the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP), a non-profit watchdog group, found that nearly one in three of 55 brand-name foods contained mercury. The chemical was found most commonly in HFCS-containing dairy products, dressings and condiments.

Health experts recommend we eat no more than eight teaspoons of sugar day. But on average, Americans consume four times that much. That’s raising questions about whether our growing sweet tooth could be making us sick.

On You Tube, a video about the dangers of sugar is steadily picking up steam, “High fructose corn syrup and sucrose are exactly the same. They’re both equally bad.” Now more than a million views, for a 2-year-old lecture on the dangers of sugar in which Dr. Robert Lustig calls it “toxic.”

“They’re both dangerous. They’re both poison,” said Dr. Robert Lustig.

Suddenly, everywhere, sugar is being debated and in some cases, demonized.

You don’t have to convince Jim Lavalle.

“And I think a lot of research now is pointing to the fact that when people take in higher amounts of sugar. It’s going to cause a lot of problems,” said author Jim Lavalle

The author and metabolism expert believes a lot of expanding Americans — especially those gaining it around the middle — are victims of too much sugar, which can play havoc with insulin and begin a cascade of problems…

“As I gain body fat, I gain belly fat and the chemicals that come out of the body fat start to alter my chemistry. It’s a process that leads you to chronic disease,” said Lavalle.

Much of the blame is often pointed at corn and the high fructose corn syrup — a sugar replacement — that is produced from it and put into a lot of processed foods.

Dr. Lyn Steffen just finished a study that found over the last 30 years, sugar intake has steadily increased and right alongside it, our weight.

Steffen says if you’re not looking at labels, you may not realize how much added sugar you’re eating a day in foods you wouldn’t suspect — like sports drinks, or cereal bars, or in Steffen’s fridge…

“And then the next ingredient is sugar,” said Steffen, picking up a bottle of ketchup.

“I also think the industry, the food industry or food manufacturers need to think about the health of their population. And reduce the amount of added sugar. I mean do we really need high fructose corn syrup in the ketchup?” asked Steffen.

A lot of what you may find in the grocery aisles — those middle ones with the packaged foods and snacks — may come loaded with added sugar. And while the debate will continue about its effects and how much is in fact too much, it’s a debate heard at a higher volume.

“I really believe that the information on high fructose has been out for a while. It’s just now hitting critical mass and you have a lot of leading researchers now that are looking at it and saying hey, there’s issues here,” said Lavalle.

As the morbid health effects of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) continue to be brought to the forefront of the media, the Corn Refiners Association has decided to give their sinister product a labeling makeover.

The desire for change comes after the consumption of HFCS dropped to a 20-year low. This drop is due to activists and health advocates exposing HFCS as a mercury-filled obesity bomb. The name change could take up to two years to go into effect. Online marketing ad campaigns, in addition to television ads, were launched following the name change request. The ads deceptively tell consumers that their bodies cannot tell the difference between “corn sugar” (corn syrup), and regular sugar. This is, of course, entirely untrue.

The alternative media as well as nutritional health experts were exposing HFCS years ago. The mainstream media, however, sided with the Corn Refiners Association. The mainstream media and the Corn Refiners Association asserted that HFCS was exactly the same as regular sugar.

HFCS is much different than regular table sugar. Eighty-five percent of the corn crop in the United States is genetically modified. Therefore, genetically modified HFCS is found in a large majority of products. Genetically modified ingredients can lead to sterility, infant mortality, and a host of other health conditions.

Researchers from Pinceton also found a lack of similarities between HFCS and table sugar. In their study, they found that rats who consumer HFCS gained significantly more weight than those who consumed table sugar. This was with the same caloric intake. The levels of HFCS given to the rats were substantially lower than the amount present in soda pop.

“Some people have claimed that high-fructose corn syrup is no different than other sweeteners when it comes to weight gain and obesity, but our results make it clear that this just isn’t true, at least under the conditions of our tests,” said psychology professor Bart Hoebel.

Changing the name of an ingredient that is known to wreak havoc on the body will not fool consumers. It is important to inform others about the name change, in addition to the scientific research regarding HFCS. It is through consumers speaking out that HFCS can not only be avoided, but eventually removed from most products in response to consumer demand.

Two new studies have added more reason for concern that high-fructose corn syrup causes significantly more harm to the body than its mere sugar content would suggest. High-fructose corn syrup contains 55 percent fructose and 45 percent glucose. In contrast, table sugar (also known as sucrose) contains a 50-50 split.

In the first study, published in the journal Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior, researchers from Princeton University found that rats consuming high fructosecorn syrup gained more weight and developed more cardiovascular risk factors than rats consuming equivalent amounts ofsucrose.

“Some people have claimed that high-fructose corn syrup is no different than other sweeteners when it comes to weight gain and obesity, but our results make it clear that this just isn’t true, ” researcher Bart Hoebel said.

Hoebel and colleagues fed two groups of rats an identicaldiet, supplemented with one of two sweetenedbeverages. One beverage consisted of a sucrose solution in concentrations similar to those found in many sweetened beverages. The other consisted of a high-fructose corn syrup solution at roughly half the concentration of a typical soda. The researchers found that the rats consuming the corn syrup solution gained significantly more weight than the rats consuming the sucrose solution.

Learn more:http://www.naturalnews.com/029403_high_fructose_corn_syrup_liver_damage.html#ixzz1iAmZUbBX

The United States is all about instant gratification. While healthy weight loss is an ongoing process that can take several weeks or months to completely achieve, there are still a few quick fixes that can help you lose up to 10 lbs in as little as one week.

Everyone can identify when they are living a destructive lifestyle, but very few have the willpower to transform their lifestyle upon this recognition. What it takes to empower the change is a heavy dose of information. Step 1 of losing weight and feeling better involves dropping a bad habit, but it is a lot easier to drop when you know just how degenerate this habit is.

Drop The Pop

When soda is ingested, your body is assaulted with mercury-containing high-fructose corn syrup in addition to a conglomeration of pesticides and processed sugars.  High-fructose corn syrup has also been reported to contain genetically modified ingredients, which are damaging to your very genetic code and has been linked to sterility.

Your body recognizes these substances as a threat, and attempts to control them the only way it knows how. The mercury from the mercury-laden HFCS is stored in the organ tissues of your vital organs, and the excessive sugar creates an insulin spike within the body.

This increase in insulin triggers fat gain, and prolonged insulin peaks will put you at a higher risk for many diseases as well as cancer. Many sodas also contain caffeine, a diuretic that leads to dehydration and an eventual dependence.

Besides this initial fat gain, toxin buildups as a result of soda consumption will begin to buildup in your body. When your body is burdened with toxins, it cannot perform at its peak. When these toxins are eliminated, and your body is subsequently less stressed, then it can function at a much higher capacity. This is why many choose to do cleanses, and experience weight loss on such a program.

Diet Soda Is Even Worse

You may be thinking that since you drink diet soda you are exempt from the negative health effects. Unfortunately, diet soda is even worse than regular soda. Diet soda usually contains aspartame, an artificial sweetener associated with brain tumors and kidney problems. This sweeteners are even worse than processed sugars, and should be avoided at all costs.

Aspartame also goes under other names such as Taste No. 5, in order to re-label the unhealthy ingredient and act as if it is a new natural sweetener. Many prefer the natural sweetener Stevia, as it has been shown to be much safer.

Replacing Soda With Water And Losing Fat

Drinking water instead of soda for a full week can help you lose incredible amounts of weight. Depending on your soda intake (and water intake), you can lose up to 15 pounds. If you are obese you can especially expect to lose a shocking amount of weight. You should slowly adapt your body to the water intake, starting out with replacing all soda with a high-quality water source. Tap water is full of deadly contaminants such as lead, arsenic, and even cocaine.

When you first start drinking more water, you will most likely have to go to the bathroom very soon after drinking. This is a good thing, as it means that your body no longer has to store “emergency” water reserves, as it is being adequately hydrated.

You will no longer be dehydrated from drinking sodas, and you will begin your journey to optimal health the right way. Make this change today, and visit Shatter Limits for more methods to optimize your body’s potential.