Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis are college graduates who went the distance in search for the truth. They questioned the idea of corn and asked themselves how corn related to our lives, only to find out the bitter truth. Their goal was to discover the path corn took in America and the relationship it has to our diets and its relationship with obesity in America. In an experiment of testing and DNA sampling through Ian and Curt’s hair, they found corn imbedded within through DNA. Everything seemed to be linked to corn such as corn fed beef, corn waxed fruits, and corn syrup. Corn syrup is a substitution for sugar because it could have been produced at a cheaper price. Although it could still bring out its sweetness, it is practically found in most of the food we consume, leading the nation into obesity.
Ian and Curt decided to travel back to their hometown in Iowa and create an experiment that would test their theory of how obesity is led by corn. Their theory was that children in this generation wouldn’t live longer than pervious generations and they’ve gone the distance to prove their theory. Traveling back to their hometown in Iowa, they’ve decided to follow their corn and illustrate where the corn is sold. The truth is that their hometown produces enough corn to feed America and export to other nations. The amount of corn produced in their small town allows the town to prosper through government funding and the vast amount of arcs of corn each farmer produces. Ian and Curt proved the amount of corn these farmers produced wouldn’t make up the amount of money they spent on producing the corn, only to find out that their profits come from the government. Corn is fed to animals in a compacted space so the animal gets fatter in a smaller amount of time. Since most of the meats that Americans eat today are from corn fed animals, the meat quality has become worst throughout these decades. The meaty animal is mostly made up of fatty tissues rather than actual meat which proves to show that Americans are only eating fat rather than a real slice of meat.
The idea that the nation wouldn’t have to spend half of a family’s income on food has changed through these past few decades. The American family only spends about 15-17% of their paycheck on food, giving the people more variety in their spending. This is made possible through corn, and the substitution of pure sugar with toxic waste of corn syrup. Corn syrup is one of the leading reasons why America is seen as an obesity nation. It can be found in soft drinks, candy, nutrition bars, chips, ice cream and any sugary treat. A fatter nation means more heart problems, diabetes, lung problems and a shorten life expectancy.
After watching this documentary, it made me more aware of what I am consuming. Instead of grabbing whatever I feel like eating, it made me realize what I am doing to my body. I knew what that corn syrup was a substitution for sugar ever since I was a little boy but never really understood how it can affect me in a negative way. This documentary in a way shows how corn is produced into corn syrup and the process corn goes through to become that syrup substance. Certain acids and toxic waste has been added to make the process go though smoothly and it makes me wonder, what else goes into our foods without the approval of the consumer. It makes me worry.