Soda, Pop, Coke…However You Swallow It, It Might Not Be Such A Good Idea.

I do not consider myself to be a “health- food-nut” by any means. I am not an expert on nutirition nor do I spend my days reading labels on the food items I buy or consume. I excercise at least three times a week, take a multi-vitamin twice daily and do my best to eat my green leafy vegetables, but that is about the extent of it. However, just prior to going on a trip out West this summer, my mom, who is keen on nutrition, read to me an article from the Philadelphia Enquirer regarding the detriments of a prevalent preservative found mostly in soft drinks, known as sodium benzoate. I am ashamed to admit that when my mom doles out nutritional information, I usually listen half-heartedly and smile weakly to appease her joy of health and wellness in order to lead her to believe that what she has said has made some kind of difference in my life. I then eat and drink pretty much whatever I want. However, for some strange reason, the information about this particular preservative/additive found in most carbonated beverages, stuck with me to the point that I really felt to give up drinking soda. I immediately began choosing other beverages such as Minute Maid “lite” lemonade, iced-tea, fruit juices and of course, water. I can honestly say I have been “soda-free” since June of 2007; and I don’t miss it one bit! I also believe I am healthier for it! I highly recommend you check out the following links for more information regarding this harmful preservative that has been known to cause cell degeneration, disable DNA, cause Parkinson’s disease, and hyperactivity in children. Maybe you, too, will choose to not have soda as part of your diet. The following link, coke vs. water may also encourage you to think twice about consuming carbonated beverages.