Snapple: Made From The Best High Fructose Corn Syrup On Earth.

I can hardly believe anyone thinks these are health drinks. The healthfulness of plain-old fruit juice has been questioned because it lacks the fiber found in actual fruit. Without the fiber, a fruit drink is vitamin-laced sugar water. Many doctors (esp. dentists) would advise you not to drink much fruit juice.

Snapple, however, isn't just plain juice. The healthfulness is indeed more questionable. I will now question it (and answer my questions, just like in the Snapple ads repeatedly hurled at me every day).

Is it fresh? No, most Snapple flavors are made from reconstituted juice (water is removed for shipping and then added back in before bottling). It's guaranteed to be at least as fresh as the juice in the frozen food aisle at your local grocery store...

Is it naturally flavored and sweetened? No, neither really. Most Snapples are flavored with "natural flavors" (chemicals which have been derived by natural means), and sweetened with high fructose corn syrup.

"High Fructose Corn Syrup" is just another name for SUGAR, right? Yes and no. Yes, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a sweetener and a form of corn sugar. But no, they are not all just different names for the same thing. Other forms of sugar include: refined white sugar, brown sugar, raw sugar, fruit sugar, milk sugar, beet sugar, alcohol, monosaccharides, disaccharides and polysaccharides. There are differences.

What makes HFCS different? Firstly, all HFCS is genetically modified. This means that many religious people may wish to avoid it, as well as individuals who (like myself) feel that companies should not be legally able to modify foods in order to patent their seeds for profit. Secondly, HFCS is not a particularly easy sweetener to digest. In addition to being very cheap, it's name is somewhat deceptive. Natural fruit sugar (fructose) is fairly easy to digest. It's Glycemic Index is 22. White sugar scores a 65, and HFCS (varies somewhat but) is comparable to white sugar.

HFCS is the second ingredient in many Snapples. When you read this on the label, don't think fructose. This stuff is as bad as, if not worse than, table sugar. Our body doesn't need any refined sugar at all, and this list summarizes the effects that it can cause.

Conclusion
Many Snapple flavors have more sugar per serving than Coca Cola. And only 10-percent juice! I don't know who thinks that genetically modified corn syrup constitutes the "best stuff on earth," but I sure as hell don't. These are just lies made up to look good on the product packaging of something that wouldn't sell without it. Snapple: syrupy water and lies.

   
Now, you know what I hear is really good for you? Water.

 

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