You may think you know about high fructose corn syrup.

But if you really did, you’d probably never touch another food or drink containing it.

And don’t be confused by all those news stories that talk about “sugary” drinks.

Because all HFCS has in common with sugar, is that they’re both sweet. And that’s where it ends.

Sugar has been around for a very long time. In fact, way back in 1935, we were consuming over 97 pounds of sugar per person every year, way more than we are today.

And sugar is distinctly different from HFCS in many ways, one being the fact that in sugar, the glucose and fructose are naturally bound together. They’re not in HFCS, and that appears to make a very big difference in how we metabolize it.

It wasn’t until the late ‘70s that HFCS started sneaking into the food supply. First it was in soda, and by now it’s in just about every food and drink imaginable. So much is used at this point that the Corn Refiners Association reported that over 19 billion pounds of HFCS left the factory doors in 2011.

Now it wasn’t easy inventing HFCS. For one thing, corn doesn’t naturally contain any fructose, so scientists had to devise a way to “transform” the glucose it contains into fructose, which is a very complex, laboratory procedure.

But along the way people got increasingly wary of it. So much so that the CRA, which is the lobbying group for the companies that make it, started a multi-million dollar campaign to try and sweeten up its image.

It even tried to petition the FDA to allow a name change to “corn sugar,” and it ran commercials and ads claiming it’s just like sugar.

The FDA didn’t buy it, and here are some more reasons you shouldn’t either:

• Countries that consume large amounts of HFCS have a 20 percent higher occurrence of type 2 diabetes than in places where it isn’t used.
• HFCS can increase your levels of cholesterol and triglycerides.
• A diet high in fructose slows down the functioning of the brain, hampering memory and learning.
• Excess fructose, especially in the form of HFCS, can contribute to weight gain and obesity as it has little effect on the parts of the brain that regulate appetite.
• Studies have shown that high fructose consumption by teens can put them at risk for heart disease.
• It appears that the “free” or unbound fructose found in HFCS can cause liver disease.

So if you’re ready to say NO to HFCS once and for all, here are a few tips:

• Buy organic – you won’t find one drop of HFCS in organic foods.
• Ready the label – okay, that can be a pain, but it’s really the only way to know what you’re buying.
• Watch out when you’re eating out. Bread, mayo, pickles, drinks like iced tea and hundreds of other restaurant items can also contain surprising amounts of HFCS.

Since it’s National School Lunch week, and as a follow-up to my blog, No More ‘Brown Food’, ASAP, here are two highly entertaining (No joke!) and informative videos to educate yourself and your kids on American school lunch.

1. Yuck. http://www.yuckmovie.com/ Follow Zachary, a NYC 4^th grader, as he documents 6 months of pitiful public school lunch. Notice the lack of vegetables, and all the unhealthy BROWN FOOD!

2. Lunch Hour Movie. http://www.lunchhourmovie.org/ Listen as celebrities, Rachael Ray and Robin Quivers, and experts in the field, such as Marion Nestle, discuss their take on the American school lunch system, as “an excellent source of obesity.”

Please take the time, along with your kids, to watch these videos. Our livelihood depends on healthy change within the American school food system.

When it comes to younger looking skin, many are looking for natural, effective tools to get rid of fine lines and wrinkles. The good news is that there are a number of ways to firm and smooth complexions without resorting to drastic measures. Here are some easy and effective natural wrinkle fighters.

Acure Organics
Acure utilizes the most potent cutting-edge ingredients available to achieve visible results. Their Line Eraser is an all-in-one therapy that features borage and argan oils to work wonders on deep wrinkles (like around the mouth). The Radical Wrinkle Complex contains a rich blend of organic botanicals, essential amino acids and vitamins to mend lines and promote new cell growth. www.acureorganics.com

Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay
Want a chemical peel…without the chemicals? Clays have been used for centuries to beautify and refresh the skin. In fact, Cleopatra used clay from the Nile river and the Arabian desert over 1800 years ago as part of her beauty ritual. This powerful bentonite clay comes from Death Valley, California, where it is sun- dried for up to six months in temperatures that sometimes reach 134 degrees. Use it in conjunction with apple cider vinegar to pull toxins and poisons from the skin for a fresh and smoother complexion.  www.aztec-secret.com

Kissed by Nature Heavenly Hemp Balms
Kissed by Nature utilizes fair trade and sustainable ingredients to create products that are healthy, natural and have boutique appeal. The Heavenly Hemp Balms are loaded with premium botanical ingredients to nourish the skin on our hands–often one of the most neglected areas of skin. Each balm features Hemp oil which is naturally rich in omega 3 & 6 to provide intensive relief to dry cracked skin and help reduce hand wrinkles. www.itskissedbynature.com

Wrinkle Reducing Smoothie
One unique and delicious way to fight wrinkles naturally is to make a wrinkle reducing smoothie. Just take 2 tablespoons of Almond Butter, one cup of almond milk, one frozen bananas (no peels) and two squares of dark chocolate and blend together until frothy. Almonds are a rich source of vitamin E, which helps to promote skin health and elasticity. They also contain Vitamin B, Manganese, Calcium and Zinc.  Also, bananas contain potassium to regulate hydration and deliver moisture to the skin. The addition of dark chocolate delivers rich antioxidants that skin loves.  Quick tip: before you freeze the bananas, mash a little to put under eyes to smooth fine lines on delicate skin.

We’re on a mission to bring high-quality, tasty and affordable foods to everyone and we are busy practicing what we preach. Last week we kicked off an in-store sampling tour in approximately 1,000 Walmarts across the country to introduce quality organics to as many people as possible. We want to take it one step further and make your search for affordable organics even easier by giving away Wild Oats product for a year to one lucky winner.

Today’s challenge: Upload a photo of you and any Wild Oats product to Twitter, Instagram, or to our Facebook page and include #Hunt4WildOats #Sweeps for a chance to win a prize pack. You’ll also be entered to win a grand prize of Wild Oats product for a year!

We hope you take a moment to play along on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

If you’re playing along on Facebook, simply upload your photo to our page with #hunt4wildoats #sweeps to be entered to win!

If you’d like to play along on Twitter, simply tweet us your photo with #hunt4wildoats #sweeps to be entered to win!

If you’d like to play along on Instagram, simply upload your photo with #hunt4wildoats #sweeps to be entered to win!

Good luck! Full Sweepstakes rules and details can be found here.

It’s the time of year when cinnamon takes center stage, pairing with the likes of allspice, nutmeg and cloves to give us the scents of the season.  From October until the end of December, the air will be filled with the aroma of sumptuous treats, from mulled cider and pumpkin bread to Christmas cookies and wassail, each with a generous dose of cinnamon.

The warm and pungent taste of cinnamon has delighted us for centuries. But long before it delighted our taste buds, cinnamon was a highly prized and rare spice used for ceremonial and medicinal purposes. It was valued first for its scent, an aroma described as both divine and sensual.

By the 6th century B.C., it was one of the most prized spices. Cinnamon, along with frankincense and myrrh, is one of the oldest spices traded in the ancient world. Egyptians used it along with a similar spice, cassia, for embalming purposes. And it’s said that the Roman emperor Nero burned all the cinnamon he could find on the funeral pyre of his wife Poppaea Sabina in 65 A.D.  Cinnamon is also mentioned in the Bible as an oil used for anointing. Cinnamon was regularly used in ointments and perfumes as well, regarded for its warm, earthy scent.

During the 13th century, Arab traders are believed to have brought cinnamon to Europe over arduous land routes, making the spice both costly and rare.  So rare, in fact, that having cinnamon was considered a status symbol. But as the middle class grew and sought upward mobility, cinnamon was supposedly used by cooks as a way to preserve meat. This is a dubious claim, since cinnamon would have been very expensive, and salt curing and smoking were widely available. And although it’s true that cinnamon possesses antibacterial and anti-fungal properties, it’s more likely cinnamon was used sparingly to cover the taste of the rotting meat that was generally available to the masses.

Cinnamon comes from the bark of the Cinnamomon tree, an evergreen whose inner bark curls into the scroll-like quills that we call cinnamon sticks — and dunk into tea, coffee and hot chocolate.  Ground cinnamon is made from the older bark on the lower part of the tree, and is stronger and more flavorful.

What most Americans call cinnamon is actually cassia, a related spice, which the FDA allows to be labeled “cinnamon.”  It has a mild and slightly sweet flavor.  And while it is not a “true” cinnamon, it’s mild flavor may actually be better for baking and drinking in beverages.

A true cinnamon, like Ceylon — spicy and hot — complements heartier, more savory dishes like curry or moussaka.

Today, cinnamon is widely available and prices can range from expensive, for a true Ceylon cinnamon from Sri Lanka to down right cheap, for a grocery store variety cassia cinnamon.  But the flavor and aroma of cinnamon are everywhere.  Mouthwash, toothpaste, candy, gum, as well as in baked goods and savory dishes.  So while we can enjoy cinnamon in a way the ancients could not have dreamed of, real cinnamon can still be rare and elusive.

Just something to ponder as you sip your next chai latte.