rt, will you ban it?

147 points

Just removing subsidies on corn would solve the core problem. There are lots of things corn is used for that shouldn’t be corn that also get fixed by that.

permalink
report
reply
33 points
*

This is the answer. High fructose corn syrup is over-used because it’s dirt cheap to produce, and it’s only dirt cheap to produce because corn is subsidized.

As much as I love my bourbon whiskey, I’ll accept the fact that prices will go up if corn stops being subsidized, but that’s what’s desperately needed in this country.

permalink
report
parent
reply
21 points

Came here to say this. HFCS is used so much because it’s so cheap for companies to use it. Get rid of the corn subsides, which have long outlived their purpose, and there’s not much incentive for using HFCS anymore and you solve the problem without a ban.

permalink
report
parent
reply
9 points

Pet food

permalink
report
parent
reply
56 points

The downside of HFCS isn’t the syrup itself, but the fact that it is so cheap and is easily able to be added to make things taste “better” for basically no cost.

I would end the corn subsidies in America. They make bank anyway

permalink
report
reply
8 points

The public perception got murdered with the name… Should have called it something like Sucrose type Corn Syrup.

When people hear High Fructose Corn Syrup, they usually stop listening at the word “High” if you’re luck, maybe Fructose, but never the full term. The term isn’t comparing it to other sources of Fructose, but just simply to regular Corn syrup, which is almost 100% glucose. HFCS just turns some of the glucose to fructose to make something equivalent to sucrose.

Sugar is unhealthy, but it doesn’t really matter where it comes from.

permalink
report
parent
reply
48 points

No, because just banning things rarely achieves the desired results.

And whether it’s cane sugar or high fructose corn syrup, too much sugar in general is the problem, much more so than the subtle differences between the two.

permalink
report
reply
13 points

Instead, tax it enough. And maybe do that with sugar/fat/etc in general, so that inherently sweeter and fattier foods can’t be sold as cheap. It works in some countries already.

permalink
report
parent
reply
5 points

Maybe. A possibility for sure. I’m just not really into policies of trying to save people from themselves.

For me? I do what I can by just avoiding it as much as I can.

permalink
report
parent
reply
4 points

No man is an island and policies that aim to better the nation’s health are rarely for the benefit of the individual and rather are a way to benefit the masses by increasing productivity in the labor market, reducing healthcare costs, and generally making the nation more competitive on the international stage

permalink
report
parent
reply
2 points

From a practical perspective, cane sugar just tastes better.

permalink
report
parent
reply
2 points

That is true

permalink
report
parent
reply
44 points

Not ban. No.

However, I would tax it at exactly the same rate as the corn and farm subsidies lower its cost, to make its actual price reflect reality.

permalink
report
reply
17 points
Deleted by creator
permalink
report
parent
reply
6 points

To be honest it and most unhealthy foods should be taxed to make healthy foods really cheap.

permalink
report
parent
reply
36 points

No, why would I? I’d end the US corn subsidies for basic economics reasons, and it would become less of a thing as a result, but it’s not a bad technology itself.

permalink
report
reply

Asklemmy

!asklemmy@lemmy.ml

Create post

A loosely moderated place to ask open-ended questions

Search asklemmy 🔍

If your post meets the following criteria, it’s welcome here!

  1. Open-ended question
  2. Not offensive: at this point, we do not have the bandwidth to moderate overtly political discussions. Assume best intent and be excellent to each other.
  3. Not regarding using or support for Lemmy: context, see the list of support communities and tools for finding communities below
  4. Not ad nauseam inducing: please make sure it is a question that would be new to most members
  5. An actual topic of discussion

Looking for support?

Looking for a community?

Icon by @Double_A@discuss.tchncs.de

Community stats

  • 12K

    Monthly active users

  • 5.1K

    Posts

  • 279K

    Comments