Urgent Soft Drink Alert: - Dangers of Benzene

By: Brenda Skidmore

As is common knowledge nowadays, at least 2/3 of the American population is considered to be overweight. What many people fail to realize is that they are drinking themselves into being overweight, and even obese. In fact, not only are soft drinks the number one source of calories in the diets of many Americans, but they are of no nutritional value. Alarmingly enough, while it has been known for a long time that soft drinks carry a health risk related to benzene, health officials are once again extremely concerned. 

It certainly is no secret that benzene is in fact a cancer causing agent which has been linked to leukemia. The problem is, benzene can form in soft drinks which contain vitamin C, potassium benzoate, and sodium benzoate. Unfortunately there are a vast number of soft drinks which contain sodium benzoate in order to prevent the growth of bacteria. Vitamin C on the other hand may be present in soft drinks either because it was added in by the manufacturer, or because of the use of fruit concentrates which are used in the beverage. Of course, the manufacturers of soft drinks do not add benzene to the beverages but instead, the benzene forms due to a reaction with the ascorbic acid and other preservatives. This reaction tends to take place when the beverages are subjected to excessive heat and light. 

Shockingly enough, this carcinogenic threat has been known about by the FDA for more than fifteen years and yet the soft drinks industry has been allowed to police themselves voluntarily. In fact, the FDA to this day continues to conceal data relating to the dangers of benzene in soft drinks simply because they say it would confuse consumers. One cannot but wonder whether people would be confused regarding benzene, or if they would be confused as to why the FDA has covered this up for so long.  

Considering that children in particular are extremely sensitive to benzene, because their bone marrow cells are incredibly active, immediate action should be taken in order to ban soft drinks in schools until such time that they can be proven safe. 

Of course if you choose to drink yourself into a state of poor health and obesity, then that is essentially your decision but you should bear in mind, however, that obesity is simply the first stage of ill health. On the other hand, if you have children then it's crucial for you to be a proper role model and to set a good example. Unlike what some people may believe, studies have shown that parents do have more of an influence over their children's eating and drinking habits, than their children's peers.

Admittedly, making a point of eating healthy foods is by all accounts a positive step in the right direction. However, many people still fail to realize just how serious their drinking behaviors can be and as such, they don't pay much attention in learning what beverages they should be avoiding.

Considering that the human body is approximately 75 percent water, there are not many thirst quenchers better for the body than water itself. In order to add some healthy  alternatives to your diet, one can always turn to single serve milk's and shelf stable juices. One can even add a few drops of citrus juice to water in order to give it a little flavor if need be.    

In my opinion, cutting out soft drinks completely from your diet is without question the easiest, single most effective way to precipitate natural weight loss and improve your overall health in general. Of course, having an occasional soft drink is not going to cause you a great deal of harm as long as you don't make a daily habit of it.

Summary:

As is common knowledge nowadays, at least 2/3 of the American population is considered to be overweight. What many people fail to realize is that they are drinking themselves into being overweight, and even obese. In fact, not only are soft drinks the number one source of calories in the diets of many Americans, but they are of no nutritional value.

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Brenda Skidmore has experienced the results natural dietary measures can bring to human health. Along with the many dedicated medical professionals, whose published works she has studied, it is her sincere desire to empower others by sharing this important health information. To improve your health today visit: