Tuesday, August 25, 2009

High-Fructose Corn Syrup



一向有喝汽水的習慣。明知不健康,但積習難改,唯有盡量少喝一些。

為體重着想,喝的多是無糖減肥汽水。普通的汽水,一來高卡路里,二來太甜,已經喝不慣。

可是,雖不怕代糖 aspartame 可能是致癌物,但減肥汽水淡而無味,似甜非甜的味道,喝了多年,還是未能完全接受。 Coke ZeroPepsi One,都是一樣的讓人嘴裡淡出鳥來。

數年前,可口可樂出品一半糖份的 C2,一度是我的寵兒,可惜不到一年便停產了。因此,一直在留心飲品的標籤,希望找到好喝又低卡的汽水品牌。

最近,在搜尋過程中,發現了一個被忽略的名詞:High-Fructose Corn Syrup(高果糖玉米糖漿)。

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HFCS,單聽名字,感覺已很不健康。它不是天然提煉,而是玉米糖漿經過化學處理後,製造出來的液態糖。

美國對蔗糖徵收高關稅,和政府大量資助國內玉米農戶,令玉米製成的 HFCS,遠比入口的蔗糖便宜。加上液態糖漿處理比固態食糖方便,因此在美國,幾乎所有甜的飲品,都含有 HFCS。

HFCS 對人體有沒有害?現在好像還沒有共識。七、八十年代 HFCS 興起,和美國人暴肥,似有間接聯繫;但亦可能只是美國人飲食生活習慣改變,和 HFCS 無關。有研究指果糖壓抑胰島素,引致糖尿病;可是,HFCS 的果糖成份只比蔗糖略高,未能作準。也有人說,便宜的 HFCS 充斥市面,令美國人無甜不歡;但也有人說,吃不吃甜是消費者的選擇,是 HFCS 還是傳統蔗糖,結果都是一樣。

不是健康食品的追隨者,HFCS 與否,本來和我沒甚麼關係。令我感興趣的,是這系列由 Corn Refiners Association(玉米提煉協會)製作的支持 HFCS 的廣告:



(還有版本二版本三

廣告裡那種嘲笑反 HFCS 人士的態度,和「講啲唔講啲」,只說出一半事實的口吻("fine in moderation”?正是「邊個唔知阿媽係女人」),實在太過「此地無銀三百両」。

本來持中立態度的我,看過廣告後,只覺 HFCS 真的有點不妥,更加敬而遠之。

如此惹人反感的宣傳,自然引來不少人的惡搞。這個以香煙比喻 HFCS 的 parody,拍得最為精彩:




HFCS 成為眾矢之的,有生產商看準時機,開始推出標榜蔗糖的汽水。百事推出了不含 HFCS 的 Throwback 系列後,又在試驗「全天然」(有可能嗎?)的 Pepsi Natural。這場 HFCS 之戰,看來才剛開始。

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仍然在找尋我的「夢想汽水」,不過已有候選者了:



這款「成年人汽水」,卡路里是普通汽水的三份二,味道不太甜,5% 果汁成份,不含 HFCS,是試過的品牌中,最附合要求的一款。

噢,是女朋友介紹的。

9 comments:

  1. 最好當然是甚麼汽水都不要喝啦~~~

    (最後有點想拉攏我的嫌疑哦!!)

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  2. 其實可口可樂也有蔗糖版的,只不過是「期間限定」。猶太人在Passover 時需要Kosher 的飲食,而因為擔心HFCS 的原材料粟米在加工時於磨坊或工廠中受到其他食物的交叉污染,所以索性不把粟米列入Kosher 的食品之中。可口可樂為了讓信奉猶太教的人在Passover 還有可樂可以喝,於是在Passover 的時候會推出蔗糖版的Coke。可是通常都很快便會賣完。

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  3. Hi Orangutan, have you ever try the imported Mexican Coca Cola? It is made with sugar cane and it tastes better in my opinion.

    see: http://www.slashfood.com/2006/01/11/mexicancocacola/

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  4. I wonder why you like soda that much? Is that the gas + sweet combination that you crave for? If so, have you ever tried mixing pure fruit juice with simple sparkling water? To me, that tastes like soda.

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  5. gf: 這不是拉攏啊,是 give credit where credit is due. :P

    nam:我也看過「黃蓋」可樂的報導,但不知道原來是因為怕 cross contamination!不過好像很難找哩。這兒猶太人比東岸少,相信會更難。

    tofufa:No, I haven't, but I'm sure I can find it in local Mexican stores.

    Actually, I am not particularly anti-HFCS. I don't have a sensitive palate, and don't remember coke tastes any different in Canada or Asia.

    anonymous: I tried! It does taste like soda, minus all the mysterious ingredients.

    However, it has three problems:
    1. can only drink at home
    2. I'm lazy
    3. It's expensive!

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  6. Have you tried sparkling lemonade? There's a whole range of them over here (pink, French, etc.), which are sold in big and small glass bottles (these rustic looking French bottles are great for kitchen storage afterwards also) so no need for home-made versions. They are relatively low in sugar compared with Coke and very refreshing, although they are a little on the pricey side.

    Also, sparkling mineral water with fruit flavours (am thinking of the Scottish brand Caledonian Clear which used to be very popular when I was in undergrad, but which don't seem to be around anymore) are also great alternatives to coke et al.

    The loveliest (and most expensive) non-soda sparkling drink I find is sparkling elderflower juice. You can make that at home by mixing a finger of elderflower cordial (which is available in Marks and Spencer's Food section, or other high-end food stores) with sparkling mineral water. Gorgeous on a sunny day.

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  7. Re: pure fruit juice + simple sparkling water

    1. understood
    2. understood
    3. is it more expensive than becoming another big fat American?

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  8. 最後一句,看來才是主旨嘛 ;)

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  9. 真想要健康汽水,Steaz的有機飲品應值得嘗試。

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