I have never been a big soda drinker, maybe once a year I will go through a binge and drink 3 cans a day for a week( haven't done this for 9 months now), and I have sworn never to do this, because I notice when I drink soda I have a hard time sleeping and my stomach feels horrible, so no more soda for me. cheryl
Are you talking about the recent concern in the UK over beverages (juices and sodas) containing both sodium benzoate and ascorbic acid, as with exposure to extremes of heat and sunlight (extremely inappropriate storage, in other words) traces of benzene can form. In large doses, benzene is a known carcinogen.
From reading the reports, it's hard to determine whether the risk is significant. Which is true of many of the "news" reports on health risks. You really have to know a little about research design to be able to determine whether a research study's results are meaningful, and even then repeated studies are needed to conclude anything, and yet the results of one study will make it to the popular media, and an article in a newspaper or a segment on the news can have you convinced that you're going to drop dead after one sip.
Berries naturally contain benzoic acid, so I'm not too concerned myself. Whenever I hear a health scare, I do a little research online, using only reputable sources such as medical school websites and a few hoax debunking sites.
I think the problem with health scare "news," is that the perceived risk is intentionally exageraged (it has to be important to be news, doesn't it?)
A person may avoid all pesticides and preservatives, and yet regularly "tan" or use a household cleanser that in one exposure is a higher health risk than anything you could eat in a lifetime.
Unfortunately, you can't rely on the news media to be objective, so you have to try to read between the lines and see if you can find the original source if possible or other experts's reactions to get a better feel for whether it is a risk you're going to be concerned with.
Yeah, this all seems to be based on the same study in the UK that I was referring to. Benzene is what they're concerned about. In large doses, benzene is a known carcinogen and teratogen (causer of birth defects - probably the DNA damage they're referring to).
In high school and college organic chemistry class, we had to use benzene in several experiments. Benzene is very similar to tolune (methylbenzene) and other common solvents, and in fact was once very common in household solvents and as an additive in gasoline. It is still used for some industrial purposes, but it is no longer available in household solvents. I remember our teacher saying that when he was a kid, pure benzene was used as a paint thinner, and he often used it with bare hands, as everyone else did, not knowing any better. Even with all of the precautions we took in class, I would bet that I inhaled more benzene molecules than a lifetime of drinking BOILED soda could provide, so I'm not particularly concerned.
Yeah, "tolulene" is in many nail polishes and other "beauty" products too.
I don't think most people (besides those who are scientists, chemistry or health buffs) are really aware of just how many chemicals are used in day to day activities.
Sodium Benzoate???
) without me putting all these lab-made substances in it, on it or around it!
