So, high fructose corn syrup appears to be a pretty awful thing to ingest. And it seems like people everywhere are deciding not to use it, which is awesome.
But a lot of people are also saying that it should be banned in general in the United States. And I don't necessarily agree with that.
Why?
I'm just not a big fan of the idea of banning everything that's quasi-dangerous or bad for you. I favor labeling things with HFCS - much like how companies have done with trans fats. I am all about legislating to keep it out of things like children's school lunches. Absolutely. But beyond that...I don't like it. I just feel like there's this real mindset that we have to save everyone from themselves. If the risks of something are known, it's obviously stated that the component is in it, and you doing it doesn't pose risk to someone else, then if you make the decision to use something, it's all you. I'm a huge fan of personal responsibility. If you're an adult, I don't have to hold your hand and make you do anything.
Especially with something like this. This isn't drinking and driving, where there are serious risks involved. It's not even driving without a seat belt, where, yes, you can conceivably harm another person in your car by your irresponsibility. This is "you'll probably get fat and you might get cancer." Bad deal, yeah. But you'll also probably get fat and increase your risk for cancer by not working out. No one's banning being a couch potato.
Please note, if you're a friend of mine who is all about banning hfcs, it's not like I think you're a bad person or anything. I'm not being a douche here. I just think it's unnecessary. But good call for caring about the health of yourself and others, for sure.
But onto other news.
I am dragging my feet with preparing for this kid. Seriously. When I was pregnant with Rhi, I had my bag packed, my birth plan printed, the nursery ready by, oh, 7 1/2 months. With Keira? I *just* wrote my birth plan. The car seat? Not even close to installed. (Ok, although, in my defense, that's partially because the Radian is a little complex and I'm taking it to a car seat safety inspection place for help.) The bags are unpacked (despite Shane telling me more than once that we should get on that.) Her bed isn't set up; I'm not even completely sure I know where all the screws for it are, either.
I kind of feel like, at some point, I'll get a burst of energy reminding me to get on all this. But right now, I'm just...eh. Really, if she is born before her due date, the worst that'll happen is I'll have to beg my mom to wash some stuff for her to come home in and bring it to the hospital, and Shane will have to figure the car seat out on his own in the parking lot. The world probably won't end. The baby can sleep in a pack and play for a day or two while I sort out the bed situation.
Someone should tell me what to use to safely clean a crib and mattress, too. We wound up, for financial reasons, not doing the co-sleeper, so I'm just using Rhi's crib and mattress. We'll do what I did with Rhi - pop the mattress up to the highest level, drop the drop side as low as it goes, and sidecar it to our bed. Presto co-sleeper-o. But I need to wash both and I'm not sure what to use. I disinfected them a few weeks ago, so now I basically want to remove any chemical residue from that and also remove any lingering dirt and such. Someone should suggest something.
3 comments:
The thing with HFCS - most European countries have already banned it. I get the personal responsibility thing, but it's hard to avoid when it's in almost everything (literally). Bread, ketchup, most drinks, many cereals, pre-packaged cookies and crackers, cough syrups, many yogurts, cottage cheese, tomato pastes, pickles, ice cream, salad dressing, most pre-packaged sauces and marinades etc . . .
I make most of my things from scratch - and always check labels to avoid HFCS, but the fact is that if you shop at a regular grocery store and buy anything, ever, besides whole foods - you're eating HFCS.
And there's just NO reason for it. There are plenty of other countries that don't use it at all. It's not needed. It's borderline hazardous and it's in EVERYTHING.
As far as baby stuff, I was like that with my first. I still hadn't packed my hospital bag when I went into labor, 2 days over due!
I see your point, and I agree that it's in a lot. I just think that banning it isn't really that necessary. Look at trans fats. They aren't banned in the US, but most companies have just gone, "Oh, hell, no one wants to eat this" and provided alternatives when social consciousness changed. Not because they truly care, just because they were concerned with sales. I do agree that it's unnecessary, though. BPAs are the same way to me. You *can* make it without them, obviously not at that much more cost, why not just stop?
I'm glad someone else was a baby slacker, lol. The thing is, normally when I'm unprepared, it bothers me. But with this, I'm really not concerned. It makes me think (possibly incorrectly) that I've got awhile to go.
I agree with you whole heartedly about HFCS. I'm a non-smoker/former smoker but I'll still make sure we don't impede on all their rights, I never understood banning it in bars, bars? Really? There's a lot of grey areas. That being said NYC banned trans fat and now like you stated most companies don't even use it anymore. Also BPA's should be banned :)
Post a Comment