Remember the old adage, “You are what you eat?” When was the last time you seriously thought about what you eat? Is it something you consider at every meal, or do you eat whatever you choose?

I know that I am the type of person who does think seriously about what I eat. This includes the kinds of food, where they were produced, and their ingredients. The last one, ingredients, is a topic I want to focus on because it has sparked up many debates in relation to the health of the consumer. Specifically, I want to study High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS).

I have decided to stop consuming HFCS for thirty days and then write three articles about my challenge. This is the first article. I want to find out if it is possible to completely remove it from my diet. I also want to study what I believe will happen to me both physically and mentally. Lastly, I will keep a daily journal of the challenge to track my progress.

So, a very important question to ask is what am I able and not able to eat? This is what I cannot eat: Mott’s Cinnamon Apple Sauce, Yoplait Yogurt, Oreos, most soda (except traditional versions), ketchup, most types of candy, certain breads (i.e.Wonder Bread), low quality ice cream, sliced peaches in syrup, fast food, Newman’s Own Pink Lemonade, Thomas English Muffins, Kellogg’s Corn Flakes, Cool Whip, Robitussin Cough DM, Delsym Cough Supressant, and Vick’s 44.

I CAN eat organic foods, fresh fruits and vegetables, and a whole assortment of baked goods, drinks, snacks, and toppings.

I believe the hardest part of my challenge will be when I eat in public. At home, I will be able to control everything that I eat, but when I go to a restaurant or eat in the school cafeteria making sure I don’t consume HFCS will be more difficult. I think that this challenge will be hard and there will be many frustrating moments, but I have many resources, and it will be a good test of my resolve.