Where dreams become heart attacks.

That’s the slogan boasted on the top of every page of ThisIsWhyYoureFat.com , a blog-style website that serves as a forum for people to submit images of the biggest, nastiest, most artery-clogging concoctions they have ever consumed or witnessed. Its archives, filled with coronary nightmares, are a wince-worthy look at the entertaining, yet often revolting, reality of the American diet. With every click and scroll, one is served up a lengthy feast of deep-fried, greasy, fatty, and cheesy dishes, convincingly proving all the reasons for our lumps, bumps, rolls, and bulges.

This past holiday season, my father purchased a couple of pomegranates  for the two of us to share. Due to their seasonality, stain-ridden juices, and overall mess factor, the bulbous red fruit now resting prettily on my kitchen table was an uncommon sight—definitely an occasion. Their long-awaited presence immediately elicited mixed feelings; while my mouth tingled for the tasty little gems hidden within their crowned rinds, I dreaded the practically inevitable. I could already envision the vicious splatter that would surely ensue upon my clumsy execution of opening the fruit, quickly spotting and forever ruining my clothing with its blood-like juice.

 In the middle of a grassy field, a sweaty, muddy team clusters together in an intense huddle. They’re down three points after a brutal interception that may have cost them the game. The clock is winding down. There only chance is a risky play, with a quick sprint through their opponent and a long pass straight into the end zone. The players look grim as they all put hands in and break into play. Cheers erupt as the game gets back underway. The pass is thrown, and it speeds down the field. Time seems to stand still as the receiving player leaps forward, flying through the air, arms outstretched to catch…a Frisbee?

Take a look at the label of any processed food in your kitchen—chances are you’ll see “high fructose corn syrup” listed as one of the ingredients. In fact, the term has become quite a ubiquitous staple among pantries in America. Besides the items you’d expect to bear the mark of such a sticky-sounding ingredient, like soft drinks and ice cream, it seems as though high fructose corn syrup can be spotted in just about everything. From energy bars and cereals to yogurt and bread—it’s in there. Check for yourself and you may find that the real challenge is to come up with foods that don’t contain the sweetener.