STEPS initiative partner bans high-fructose corn syrup

January 15th, 2008

On January 1, STEPS Corner Store Initiative partner World’s Healthiest Pizza banned all products containing high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). This includes all soft drinks, such as Coke, and any pizza ingredients that contain the additive.

According to World’s Healthiest Pizza Co-founder Jeff Leach, “the banning of HFCS products from our stores is consistent with our mission of improving the health and well-being of all our customers and providing great tasting and healthy alternatives to what is being currently offered.”

The owners of World’s Healthiest Pizza acknowledge that the current research on HFCS suggests that HFCS in and of itself does not cause obesity. However, they point out that it does contribute to excess caloric intake while offering few, if any, beneficial nutrients. In addition, according to Jeff Leach, “HFCS is rapidly digested and absorbed as glucose and thus elicits an unnecessary spike in the hormone insulin. Excess insulin can lead to hyperinsulimia(elevated levels of insulin in the body) which may contribute to complications associated with insulin
resistance, diabetes and the body’s inability to metabolize fatty acids stored in adipose tissue (translation: weight gain).”

For more information on the STEPS Corner Store Initiative and other Corner Store Initiative Partners, visit the STEPS Web site.