Economics and Nutrition
I'm not obsessed with High Fructose Corn Syrup, though it seems that way at times. Marginal Revolution has an interesting discussion of how economic/trade policy impacts the production of High Fructose Corn Syrup - a cheap sugar substitute.
As one who reads food labels carefully, I know how hard it can be to eliminate (or minimize) your consumption of HFCS.
On a related note - - I read somewhere (sorry, don't recall where - I'll try to dig it up) about the impact that the increasing demand for HFCS as well as ethanol-gas products, has on corn production. It's a big deal in Minnesota, as many farmers produce corn for HFCS or fuel. Corn is apparently very hard on the soil - resulting in a lot of top-soil run-off and mineral depletion. The article I read warned us not to be too cocky about lessening our demand on foreign oil by increasing ethanol production, as we risk hurting our soil by encouraging the production of so much corn.
Tradeoffs - always tradeoffs.
Found something - - though not where I initally read about corn and soil:
The False Hope of Biofuels, Washington Post.
As one who reads food labels carefully, I know how hard it can be to eliminate (or minimize) your consumption of HFCS.
On a related note - - I read somewhere (sorry, don't recall where - I'll try to dig it up) about the impact that the increasing demand for HFCS as well as ethanol-gas products, has on corn production. It's a big deal in Minnesota, as many farmers produce corn for HFCS or fuel. Corn is apparently very hard on the soil - resulting in a lot of top-soil run-off and mineral depletion. The article I read warned us not to be too cocky about lessening our demand on foreign oil by increasing ethanol production, as we risk hurting our soil by encouraging the production of so much corn.
Tradeoffs - always tradeoffs.
Found something - - though not where I initally read about corn and soil:
The False Hope of Biofuels, Washington Post.
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