Have you checked lately what your drinks contain in the way of additives and preservatives?

A male workmate and I were discussing food the other day and the types of food we have been told for 40 plus years to eat instead of the foods we probably grew up on.

I did some research online a few weeks ago about cholesterol as my doctor said that mine, at 6.8, is high.  I know from previous blood tests I had a few years ago, that my cholesterol is being produced by my body, and what I eat has little to do with it.  I took drugs for a time until I read about the dangers and I stopped taking them.  I had choice and I chose to take my chances and not drug myself up with substances that are probably more dangerous than cholesterol. 

I read about a group of nuns who were under the microscope for a number of years.  Some were on a low cholesterol diet, the rest on a normal diet and they all lived in the one institution.  Those that died with heart disease were those with low cholesterol who had been on the diet.  Seems proof enough to me.  I tend to believe that the cholesterol issue is a scam involving a billion dollar industry of pills and low cholesterol food.

Further reading showed me some interesting facts about the human skeletal changes since the inception of all these low fat diets we have been told are so good for us.  The face has narrowed, causing millions to suffer with sinus and hayfever and asthma etc.  The pelvis in women has narrowed making childbirth all that more difficult.  I can attest to both those changes in my own body. 

We are supposed to eat animal fat, not substitutes.  Now we are being told that the substitutes are causing more damage than the real foods we used to eat.  I think moderation and natural foods have to be better, but we have allowed ourselves to be manipulated to think otherwise.  Probably the damage is done now but then as they always say, it's never too late to change.

Our discussion then moved to soft drinks and my workmate told me that he was made aware of a dangerous preservative that is found in most soft drinks and I believe some alcohol and fruit drinks - 211.  He said that at a party at his home recently he went around and checked the bottles that friends and relatives had brought to the party, cans as well.  He found that almost 97% of them had the 211 preservative - Sodium Benzoate. 

Whilst he had been told the amount in each can or bottle wasn't at dangerous levels, I thought about the fact that we usually continue to drink the same drinks year after year.  How much of this stuff have we been throwing down our throats? I checked the few drinks I have in my fridge tonight and only one has no mention of 211, Schweppes lemonade. 

I did a surf on the net today for preservative 211 - Sodium Benzoate, Sodium salt of benoic acid) and found that on one website it stated "combined with 102 can exacerbate allergic reactions in asthmatics or people with sensitive skin' and is found in cordial, chilli paste, brewed soft drinks, fruit juice, non-dairy dips and non-canned tomato juice.  102 is Tartrazine (synthetic azo dye) and can cause wakefulness in children, can affect asthmatics, causing itching, rhinitis (runny nose) and blurred vision. 

102 is found in confectionery, fruit juice, cordials, soft drinks, canned fruit, canned peas, brown sauces, pickles and flavoured pie fillings.  Make you think perhaps you should be cooking your own pickles and stewed fruits and using fresh peas or frozen and eating fruit instead of drinking fruit juice?  How many of us gave our children cordial when they were little?  I did for years and even sent it to school for them in plastic bottles.  I froze it as well into ice blocks.

On another website I read that there are about 350 permitted food additives in Australia.  About 50 of those are likely to cause adverse reactions.  The 50 were listed in red bolded with the word AVOID next to them.  211 Sodium benzoate AVOID, 102 Tartrazine, yellow #5 AVOID.

So next time you are picking up a load of drinks for home, have a look at the ingredients and just think about whether you wish to continue pouring this stuff down your neck or down your children's necks.  If you are really interested in getting the lowdown on all the additives and the ones to definitely AVOID, then visit www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info/information/additivesall.htm. 

Perhaps we should all spend extra time doing our shopping, with our glasses on hand or a magnifying glass to read some of the labels, and just have a look at what we are ingesting, and wonder why?  It's quite scarey stuff when you look at the list and realise that everytime you buy something that is packaged or bottled, you will be buying  these preservatives and additives as well.

As with homogonized milk, what are we allowing these huge food conglomerates to administer to us legally?  It makes you think seriously about bottled water and fresh fruit and vegetables and butter and milk that is only pasteurised and perhaps doesn't last in the fridge as long, plus the many other foods we once ate that weren't cooked by someone else or didn't come in a package or a tin or a jar.

Food for thought?

Vena McGrath