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Translated I believe from
French. More info on aspartame on www.mpwhi.com, www.wnho.net, www.holisticmed.com/aspartame
http://www.fofoca.org/qual-e-realmente-a-sua-bebida-efervescente/
It was not so long ago that a can of cola, soda, or any other type
of effervescent drink was a rare one, but now many of us drink at
least one a day. In fact, the average consumption of soft drinks in
many countries has already reached a staggering 25 gallons per year!
We all know that soft drinks are not good for us because they
contain lots of sugar, and the types of sodium diet can make you fat
as well, but what else could these popular drinks be doing to harm
our health? Recent medical studies have suggested that soft drinks
are even worse for health than we ever imagined, and it is not just
because of sugar. Here are ten ingredients that you will be
surprised to know are commonly found in the soft drinks you probably
drink daily.
1. Phosphoric Acid
Phosphoric acid, which is also known as orthophosphoric acid, is
added to carbonated drinks to give them acidity. Some studies have
suggested that phosphoric acid reduces levels of calcium in the body
and can have a detrimental effect on bone density. Scientists have
also shown that there is a connection between the amount of soda you
drink and an increase in the likelihood of your developing kidney
stones.
2. Alcohol
Surprisingly, researchers at the French National Institute for
Consumer Affairs found that more than half of the well-known soft
drinks they tested contained traces of alcohol. It was far from
enough to make him drunk, but it was enough to be cause for concern
for some religious soda drinkers.
3. Benzene
Benzene is a carcinogen that can be found in tobacco smoke and crude
oil, but it has also been found in many soft drinks as well. In
2005, the US Food and Drug Administration found that most of the
fizzy soft drinks contained some benzene, and 10 of the 200 drinks
they sampled contained above the legally allowed limit. The worst
criminals have now been reformulated, or taken off the market, but
many soft drinks still contain a lot of benzene.
4. Aspartame
Aspartame, which is a genetically modified ingredient that is used
in soft drinks like candy, has been linked to many potential health
risks, including chronic fatigue, tuberculosis, leukemia, anxiety
and milder side effects such as dizziness and nausea. The ingredient
used to be illegal until that ruling was overturned in what some
people consider as very suspicious circumstances.
5. Sodium benzoate
Although scientists have discovered that there are no adverse
effects of consuming sodium benzoate, it is certainly not a natural
product. Sodium benzoate is a preservative that is not found
naturally in all foods. In the UK, Coca Cola are extinguishing their
use due to consumer pressure, although it is still present in many
other carbonated drinks, and it is still in glue in many other
countries.
6. Mercury
The high fructose corn syrup that is used in many carbonated drinks
has been found to contain traces of highly toxic metal, mercury. In
tests conducted by the Institute of Agriculture and Trade, it was
found that about half of the samples tested contained mercury, which
enters the product during its manufacture.
7. Citric acid
The citric acid you get in your soft drinks is not obtained from
citrus fruits, as you may have thought; is a manufactured,
artificial version of the acid. Manufacturers use citric acid as a
preservative and flavor enhancer and although it is too weak to do
very badly in small amounts, large amounts of citric acid can
corrode the stomach lining.
8. 4-methylimidazole
4-methylimidazole (4-MEI) is a carcinogenic compound which is
created as a by-product of the manufacture of the caramel dye used
in many cola drinks and is considered to be undesirable in most food
products. However, it is deliberately added to many cola drinks. The
amount of 4-methylimidazole found in certain glues is four times
higher than the recommended amount, although in some regions, Cola
is reducing the amount.
9. Bisphenol A
In Canada and France, bisphenol A (BPA) has been banned as a toxic
substance but is still present in soft drinks in other countries.
The chemical mimics estrogen, and it can interfere with the thyroid
hormones. At high doses, this can cause attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder and even brain damage.
10. High fructose syrup
High fructose syrup (HFCS) is one of the main ingredients in most
popular brands of fizzy drinks and it is the volume that is in
drinks like cola that is the problem. Long-term high consumption of
HFC leads to an unnatural increase in body fat, which can lead to
diabetes, cancer and heart disease.
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