Soda vs Cement

[BailOut]

Originally Posted by GeneW

Sodium benzoate is a preservative that inhibits the growth of dangerous bacteria and fungi. It's found naturally in some fruits. It's very effective at keeping acidic foods free of dangerous growths.

Sodium Benzoate + Vitamin C = Benzene

From http://www.curezone.com/forums/fm.asp?i=1181971:

although sodium benzoate occurs naturally in some foods, it is the much higher concentrations within soft drinks that are causing alarm, especially when combined with Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)

It is simply not worth it. I like to keep my DNA intact when possible, thank you.

Originally Posted by GeneW

Purer ingredients tend to reduce spoilage. Pure ingredients are easier to purge of bacteria and fungi during the process of concentration. "Natural" ingredients contain enzymes and reducing sugars that can corrupt stored foods.

In my experience organic items last much, much longer both in storage and once opened than do their highly processed counterparts that are packed with preservatives. However, even if you are accurate it begs the question of why so much storage is "needed".

Originally Posted by GeneW

Pure Sucrose is a wonder food. If you keep it dry and away from air it stores very well. In contrast Turbinado (dried cane juice) and brown sugars are more fragile and do not store as well. Alas, the price of Sucrose is "supported" by Congress, hence the use of corn based fructose syrups that are well tolerated by many consumers.

Again I question the "need" of such extensive storage.

Originally Posted by GeneW

Artificial flavorings are aldehydes that are engineered for a certain taste. Considering that "natural flavors" are relatively scarce, fragile and often seasonal artificial flavors reduce the cost and increase availability of some tastes for more people.

I have no idea why anyone would think that natural flavors are scarce but things are seasonal for a reason. Creating highly synthetic alternatives is simply silly.

Originally Posted by GeneW

Artificial sweetners are subject to reasonable amounts of testing

They are? By who? Where? When?! Would that be the same FDA that allows things like Splenda on the market even after it is proven that even moderate usage of it has the potential to cause cancer?

Originally Posted by GeneW

However it's everyone's right to go to a Health Food store and pay half again more or double for something

Pay for it with your wallet or with your health and the health of the planet. The cost of things most often goes far beyond what one pays at the register. You make the call.

Originally Posted by GeneW

I'm not being hard on you Brian but don't you think there was a reason that so many moons ago the Food Industry wanted longer shelf lives and a wider market?

The "Food Industry", like almost every other corporate venture, cares not one whit for you, your family or the world we live on. They care only about profits from quarter to quarter and lobby extremely hard - even threaten and hurt people - in order to keep the truth behind most of the things they do a secret. This is why not a single study linking long term exposure to industrial and synthetic chemicals used in "food" manufacturing to human health has ever been published.

If you have no problem with any of that then, by all means, go drink your artificially sweetened and preserved soda and eat your bleached bread and your dyed cheese and wipe your ass with chlorine bleached paper. They will love you for it.