Originally published November 25 2011
Watch out for high fructose corn syrup in barbeque sauces - many are loaded with sweeteners
by Selena Keegan
(NaturalNews) Barbecue enthusiasts who believe that "if it ain't barbeque, it ain't food" may be pouring something that arguable isn't food on their grilled meats if they use commercially prepared barbeque sauce. Many of these sauces create their so-called "authentic" flavor using high fructose corn syrup -- often as one of the first three ingredients.
Take a look at what our survey of grocery shelves revealed:
Famous Dave's
The Rich and Sassy BBQ Sauce sold by the chain of barbecue restaurants contains: high fructose corn syrup, tomato paste, filtered water, distilled vinegar, pineapple juice concentrate, molasses, salt, honey, soybean oil, natural smoke flavor spices, hydrolyzed soy protein, onion powder, natural and artificial flavors, mustard bran, sodium benzoate (preservative), garlic powder, caramel color, turmeric
K.C. Masterpiece
The Original Barbeque Sauce version of this popular brand is made using: tomato puree (water, tomato paste), high fructose corn syrup, molasses, vinegar, less than 2 percent of: spices, natural hickory smoke flavor, natural flavors, modified food starch, salt, xanthan gum, dried onion, dried garlic, caramel color, turmeric, paprika extracts.
Sweet Baby Ray's
The Original Barbecue Sauce variety of this brand lists these ingredients: high fructose corn syrup, vinegar, tomato paste, modified food starch, salt, pineapple juice concentrate, natural smoke flavor, spices, caramel, sodium benzoate as a preservative, molasses, corn syrup, garlic, sugar, tamarind, natural flavor.
Jack Daniel's
The whiskey manufacturer's Master Blend Barbecue Sauce contains: high fructose corn syrup, tomato concentrate (water, tomato paste), distilled white vinegar, molasses, salt, modified corn starch, mustard flour, natural hickory smoke flavoring, caramel color, sodium benzoate & potassium sorbate (as preservatives), spices, Jack Daniel's Tennessee whiskey flavoring (natural & artificial flavorings), onion powder, garlic powder, xanthan gum.
Cattleman Master's Reserve
This brand's line of Kansas City Classic sauce contains: tomato paste, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, water, distilled vinegar, molasses, salt, mustard bran, natural hickory smoke flavor, spices, onion powder, garlic powder, sodium benzoate (preservative), caramel color, sugar, natural flavors.
Gourmet Version
Even the upscale chain store for gourmet cooks Williams Sonoma offers a line of regional barbecue sauces with an average price of $9.95/bottle. Their Fight Club Punchin' Pig BBQ Sauce contains: vinegar, light corn syrup (water, potassium sorbate, natural flavors, phosphoric acid), tomato paste, worcestershire (vinegar, molasses, corn syrup, water, salt, caramel color, sugar, spices, anchovies, soy, tamarind), water, dark molasses (refinery syrup, cane molasses, caramel color), salt, garlic powder, onion powder, xanthan gum, spices.
What is HFCS?
High fructose corn syrup is a pseudo-food borne out of the marriage of convenience, using government-subsidized corn with industrial chemical food processing methods. Mercury is used in order to transform corn starch into corn syrup. Testing has revealed that this toxic chemical may remain present in the resulting "food" product.
A toxic embalming chemical, glutaraldehyde, is also used to concoct corn syrup. The chemistry games played by food processors result in people consuming extraordinarily large amounts of a form of sugar, fructose, which the human body cannot digest as easily as sucrose. Research is steadily mounting, showing the health consequences of consuming HFCS include fatty liver, increased abdominal fat, higher triglyceride levels, increased tooth decay, anemia, osteoporosis, ADD and more. (Search NaturalNews for more articles on these subjects.)
Food-chemical industry apologists still try to defend the use of high fructose corn syrup and have persuaded many mainstream medical "authorities" to endorse the view that HFCS is not harmful. However, the FDA stated in 2009 that "we would object to the use of the term 'natural' on a product containing HFCS." If you want a taste of the authenticity commercial barbecue sauce advertising promises, you are better off learning to make your own sauce at home from scratch.
Sources:
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/regi...
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Jack-Daniel-8217-s...
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Cattlemen-s-Master...
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Kc-Masterpiece-Ori...
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sweet-Baby-Ray-s-O...
http://www.naturalnews.com/025292_natural_co...
http://www.naturalnews.com/032948_high_fruct...
http://www.naturalnews.com/031971_HFCS_abdom...
All content posted on this site is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech. Truth Publishing LLC takes sole responsibility for all content. Truth Publishing sells no hard products and earns no money from the recommendation of products. NaturalNews.com is presented for educational and commentary purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice from any licensed practitioner. Truth Publishing assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. For the full terms of usage of this material, visit www.NaturalNews.com/terms.shtml