Posted on 05/28/2007 10:05:29 AM PDT by Coleus
You may want to put that soda can down.
A common preservative found in drinks such as Coca-Cola, Sprite, Dr. Pepper, Fanta and Diet Pepsi may cause serious cell damage, according to a report in Britain's The Independent. Sodium benzoate has the ability to switch off vital parts of a person's DNA, according to research from a British university. The problem is usually associated with aging and alcohol abuse, but new findings show that drinking soda with the preservative can eventually lead to of the liver and degenerative diseases such as .
Click here to read the full story in The Independent.
Sodium benzoate, which derives from benzoic acid, has been used for years by the carbonated drinks industry to prevent mold from developing in soft drinks. The ingredient has been the subject of concern on cancer, because when mixed with Vitamin C, it turns into a carcinogenic substance called benzene, the Independent reported. Last year, a Food Standards Agency survey of benzene in drinks found high levels in four brands that were removed from store shelves. "These chemicals have the ability to cause severe damage to DNA in the mitochondria to the point that they totally inactivate it: they knock it out altogether," said Peter Piper, a professor of molecular biology and biotechnology.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Ahhh we are DOOMED!
Oh yay. As I sit here with a can of ginger ale.
.
Not to mention mother’s milk contains cancer cells.
It switched off the gene that makes we want to believe stuff like this./sarc
Great. This is the only time of year I allow my children to have soda. I buy several cases for taking to the pool.
I just bought 5 boxes yesterday. I’m a murderer. *Sigh*
Aha! So THIS is why Pepsi was on sale last week? I knew there was a catch!
Wasn’t India concerned about this a couple yrs back? I think most people just scoffed at their concerns.
About a month ago there was a study of 16! women showing that milk in tea was problematic. Tough. That's how I like it. I try to watch what I eat, but I'm getting awfully tired of hearing how things that people have been eating for generations, and lived to fight wars, build societies, and populate the earth, are going to friggin' kill me.
Kinda fits in with some of the newer theories of aging. Oxidative stress and damage to the mitochondrial cellular membranes causing a drop off of energy production.
The other part seems to be cross-linking of proteins that gum up the cellular workings.
I guess that’s why so many soda drinkers have dropped dead in the street over the last several decades.
Ruh roh!
I would imagine if they each drink a case a day you won’t have to be concerned about their senior health.
I imagine it’s worse for women and minorities.
How much vitamin C is in Pepsi?
lol! I’m not a big tea drinker, but if I have a cup, it’s plain with no sugar or milk. I drink my coffee black, as well. But that’s just because it’s the way I prefer it. What did they say about milk in tea? Something about milk taking away from the health benefits of certain teas?
Life is short. Enjoy it!
Blue Sky Root Beer doesn’t contain any chemicals.
Smoking “medical marijuana” should take care of the problem. :O)
> Oh yay. As I sit here with a can of ginger ale.
Not just pop.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_benzoate
In all sorts of stuff.
And it appears the Fox News story isn’t really news.
My aunt is in her mid-80’s, can run rings around most people in their 50’s, and has been drinking about 10-12 Coke’s per day for as long as I’ve known her (she married my Uncle in 1967—he died 10 years ago.)
One of my daughters lives on Red Bull.
And yet, here we have none other than Anita Bryant herself pushing KING SIZE Coca Cola! She probably knew all along!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=_J2x6tnSvRk
Me too. :)
We went to a restaurant last week and the only root beer they had was almost $3 for a glass. Must have been Blue Sky. ;)
From wiki, it appears naturally in good stuff, so it’s probably just an “everything in moderation” thing.
Hmmmm.
Oh,no! I’m doomed! My beloved Mountain Dew has the suspect preservative.
I drink Cokes every day, and I’ve never noticed any pro
"Engaging cigarettes, target going down! Fix acquired on trans fats, sending in the lawyers...wait a second, what is this? Anomalous risk signature detected! It appears to be SODA POP! Scramble the nanny-bots, and get me Bloomberg ASAP. GET ME THE ETA FOR GETTING THOSE GRANT JUNKIES INTO POSITION, we are going to need fire support. I always was suspicious of tasty liquid refreshment..."
I am not sure how to take that, but if it is some sort of slur on my parenting, let me assure you that they each get about 3-4 cans a week ONLY when we go to the pool. The rest of the year, they drink milk and water.
I love Root Beer! I think Blue Sky is the best lower priced all natural available. I really like Hank’s, but Boylan, Tommyn Knocker and Bulldog asre also good. I can’t stand Virgil’s which I think is overpriced and has an aftertaste that reminds me of the smell of snuff. I sat across from a man rubbing snuff one night and now anything too minty reminds me of that smell.
There is a restaurant chain in Raleigh that brews their own. It is really good and quite pricey.
Just to put your mind to rest, I think, the water the public water company delivers to your faucet is permitted to have 5ppm of benzene. The big soda companies do not put sodium benzoate and ascorbic acid in the same can and even if they did the odds are it would have nomore benzene than the water coming out of the tap.
Do fountain dispensed sodas, which are carbonated upon dispensing while mixing with water and syrup, have a need for a mold inhibitor such as sodium benzoate?
Don't kid yourself
Just because they say it's all natural doesn't mean they are no chemicals in the product
28 years in the business. See my screen name
Thanks for posting this. I used to drink at least a two litre bottle of Diet Coke a day. I used it to wash down Tylenol based products to try and aleviate chronic back pain. While I gave up all over the counter meds in 2001, I still chugged the Diet Coke until last year. Almost forgot all the vitamin C I was taking at the same time.
Let’s just say I have developed some health problems. Think I’ll show this article (the one from the Independent) to whoever sees me next. Of course, I’ll probably get laughed right out of the examination room...
Re “The Independent” study concerning soda drinks:
“ERRRRRRRRRRPPP!!!”
;^)
Yup, Boylans is pretty good - but their Birch Beer is out-of-this-world (IMHO). I prefer Pirates Keg Root Beer and I'll take my chances with the Sodium Benzoate.
Well crap, it is in Sunkist.
Then again, this is a British study in the “Independent.”
How reliable can it be?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/main.jhtml?xml=/health/2007/01/09/nfood309.xml
Apparently the proteins in milk may block the healthful the flavonoids in tea. I drink tea because I like it and I don’t seem to tolerate coffee. If I drink herbal teas, I do so w/o milk, but my eye-opener in the monrning needs to be good ole’ black/orange pekoe w/ a shot of milk and as hot as I can stand it. Then the diet Pepsi. : )
Being alive is inevitably fatal.
True. Of course, if this is actually true, it sucks bigtime. Dying through cancer or some other awful disease is different from dying of old age.
That said, I highly doubt this study is correct. That doesn’t mean I won’t be nervous for a few days when I drink sprite or orange pop.
I’d sooner take my chances on a diet Coke than a Democrat.
Or as the late Warren Zevon put it, “Life Will Kill Ya.”
I drink one 12-16 oz can/bottle a week, so I am not really worried. Some people may drink wine or beer or tequila but a cold frosty Root Beer is my Friday afternoon relaxer. :)
According to Wikipedia, sodium benzoate is found naturally in cranberries, prunes, greengage plums, cinnamon, ripe cloves, and apples. So if an apple a day keeps the doctor away, then how many sodas does it take to keep the doctor away?
Peter Piper, a professor of molecular biology and biotechnology
Professor Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled Dr. Peppers;
A peck of pickled Dr. Peppers Peter Piper picked;
If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled Dr. Peppers,
Where’s the peck of pickled Dr. Peppers Peter Piper picked?
Great.
So much for drinking Coke with freshly squeezed lime.
Sheesh.
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