The Fructose King of Condiments

What coal is to our atmosphere, sugar is to our bodies. The silent killer, in a sense.
I think that is basically what this man is saying...


Granted, this is nothing new. People have been talking about high fructose corn syrup for the last couple years, actually, long enough for the high fructose corn syrup industry to rally up its own troops in response. (Gotta love America.)

It is hard to deny, though: sugar is what is making America (and Americanizing nations) fat. And hypertensive. And tired. And depressed. And most of all, STILL hungry.

It's almost all because of sugar. And not even just the sugar we put in that occasional batch of cookies. Even the healthiest of us ingest fructose every day without realizing it.

I did a quick inventory of my roommate's and my kitchen, which has been deemed "empty" by our friends. The Kraft Light Sicilian Garlic Dressing (35 calories in 2 T, practically nothing) has sugar in it. My Nature's Own light wheat bread has sugar in it (albeit very little). The FIRST ingredient listed (therefore making it the most highly used in the item) on the box of Nutrigrain Bars is high fructose corn syrup.

And, alas. My beloved ketchup. Since I have been old enough to eat solid food, my mom has been telling me that ketchup is awful for me. She avoids the condiment like the plague. I have to hide how much I use it, like some junkie, whenever I am around her. She looks at me with this look that says, "I can't believe I raised a daughter who eats ketchup."

I inspect the bottle. She's right. Ketchup is 15 calories per tablespoon (ask me if I ever just have one tablespoon--the answer is no.) Ketchup is 100% carbohydrates, 4 grams of it, all of which come from sugar. I am looking at approximately 16 grams of sugar per day in my diet, just from ketchup (don't judge me).

I don't know, guys. I can deal with being pale, but now no ketchup either?


Fine. Ketchup, you and I are going to have to take a break apart from each other. Maybe forever, we'll see.