Sodium Benzoate

WHAT IS IT? Also list what else it is called.

Sodium Benzoate (211).

Now, benzoic acid is a better preservative, but 211 is created because it is much more soluble (200 times more, to be precise) and therefore more widely adaptable and can be produced en-masse.

WHAT’S IN IT? (OR) WHAT IS IT IN?

This little doozie is a very popular preservative used in soft drinks, salad dressing, sauces, shredded cheese, salsa, dips, jams, picklings, pet foods, fruit juices, as well as in cosmetics and medicines, and as a fuel in fireworks (you know the whistling sound? Yep. Compress and ignite our buddy 211 and he whistles!). Basically, in food terms, anything acidic (less than 4.5 pH) that needs to be preserved will have 211 in it. It’s a cheap way to make an effective mould inhibitor in acidic products.

It’s also really popular as an anti-corrosive additive to automotive engine antifreeze coolants, as well as being made into plastics such as polypropylene to improve strength and clarity, AND in photographic processing.

Pretty impressive resume hey?! Bon Appetite!

I am going to compile a list of as many products as I can that have 211 in it. If you’re shopping and you see it – leave a message here or on the Facebook page and I’ll put it on the list!

HOW IS IT MADE?

This preservative is made by neutralising benzoic acid with sodium hydroxide.
Does that mean much to you? Me neither, but at least we know now! The important thing to know is that it is completely and totally artificially produced in a laboratory – and is not processed by the body in anyway similar to its natural long-distant second cousin, benzoic acid.

WHAT DOES IT DO TO OUR BODIES?

The problem is that Sodium Benzoate can be found in products that are labelled “all natural”, and they’re trying to fool you into thinking that the naturally created benzoic acid found in low levels in many fruits is the same thing.

It’s not.

211 is synthetically produced in a lab, and put into thousands of products that we consume.

If sodium benzoate (or potassium benzoate, for the record) is combined with ascorbic acid (vitamin C, has the number 300 on the label), you produce benzene. Now, benzene is a KNOWN carcinogen. Think of those lovely fruit juices you buy and remember this: 300 + 211 = CANCER. The argument is that benzene levels are considered low enough for safe consumption… but… ahem, excuse me… since when did any level of carcinogenic chemicals become acceptable?! I bet the clowns that do the recommending don’t drink it. Heat exposure and shelf life can also affect the amount of benzene that is created.

 Recent studies by a professor of molecular biology at Sheffield University, Peter Piper (in between picking packs of pickled peppers), found that sodium benzoate severely damages certain parts of our DNA.

DNA DAMAGE, PEOPLE!!!

Let me explain. The damaged DNA of the mitochondria (the part of the cell responsible for respiration and energy production) begin to malfunction very erratically when affected this way. A whole array of diseases are now being found to be linked to this damaged part of the cell – including Parkinson’s Disease, and quite a lot of other neurodegenerative diseases. This also affects the ageing process. This one is close to my heart. I know someone with a neurodegenerative disease, and I’m angry that chemicals like this could have aided her condition…

Get rid of it, and tell your friends. We don’t need it.

WHAT ARE THE SAFE ALTERNATIVES, WHERE CAN I GET THEM, AND WHAT WILL IT COST ME?

This is a tough one, because it is found in so many products…

In terms of soft drinks, just stop drinking them – they’re awful and contain a whole cocktail of chemicals and poisons that make you fat, moody, and sick. You’ll save money too.

For juice, buy only fresh. And use it as a treat, rather than an every day drink. Fresh juice is more expensive though, so look out for specials! No more reconstituted shelf juices or 25% fruit orange drink things…

And I’ll get back to you about the rest; just remember for now that 211 is an absolute NO NO. Go through your pantry and fridge and get rid of it.

REFERENCES

http://www.inchem.org/documents/cicads/cicads/cicad26.htm

http://www.naturalnews.com/033726_sodium_benzoate_cancer.html

http://www.pureinsight.org/node/4649

Sodium Nitrite (250)

This is going to be a hard one for me to write… as you know, if I post it here, it means I’ve applied it in my life. There is no use in preaching it and not living it.

This toxic, awful poison is found in nearly all deli meats – ham, bacon, sausages, pepperoni, beef jerky, hot dogs, sandwich meats, deli slices, salami, polony (devon), not to mention meat used in canned soups, on frozen pizza, kids' lunch products, in ravioli, spaghetti or other pre-prepared pasta products… – chances are it’ll have a little (250) somewhere on the label.

But let’s take a few steps back and figure out just what Sodium Nitrite is, then we’ll discover how it differs from naturally occurring nitrates found in many vegetables, and what it does to our precious bodies.

Sodium Nitrite has the chemical formula NaSO₂ , which probably doesn’t mean that much to most people, but it’s good to know. It has a variety of uses, from the formation of dyes, pharmaceutical products, pesticides, photography, and rubbers, but it is most commonly known for uses in food preserving – not only general preserving but also as a colour fixer, and to prevent the growth of a bacteria which causes botulism (A rare but serious paralytic condition, non-life threatening, and preventable when the meat is heated at 120C for at least 3 minutes. Spores accumulate in the small intestine, and only in cases where the immune system is inefficient to deal with it, bacteria is released into the body).

With me so far? It’s a preservative, a colour-fixer and a bacterial inhibitor.

When meat is preserved in Sodium Nitrite and then heated to high temperatures (which all of them are) – I’m talking cooked, charred and/or overcooked here, the nitrites convert into Nitrosamines. This also happens when nitrites react with secondary amines under acidic conditions (in your stomach acid) and during the meat curing process.

Get it? Cooking, preserving and/or eating meats with Sodium Nitrite produces Nitrosamines.

Now… nitrosamines… tsk tsk tsk… we don’t like these at all. They are PROVEN CARCINOGENS. That means, they are known to cause cancers.

In 1956 (that’s 56 years ago), John Barnes and Peter Magee (British Scientists) found that di-methyl-nitrosamine (sound it out…) produced liver tumours in rats. 90% of nitrosamine compounds were then deemed carcinogenic. Nitrosamines are also found in tobacco smoke, and are used in the manufacturing of some cosmetics (eeewww!!), pesticides and most rubber products.

Let’s get one thing perfectly straight here. I’m bound to get some negative nancy read this and preach to me about the levels of nitrates in many vegetables. Firstly, NITRITES and NITRATES are different. Secondly, this wonderful organic world of ours has created vegetables in such a way that they take care of themselves. So, when we eat a vegetable that is relatively high in NITRATES, a small amount of that is converted to NITRITES in the stomach (with your stomach acid, remember?). Then in come all of those WONDERFUL naturally occurring antioxidants from the piece of veg that you just ate, inhibiting the formation of nitrosamine (which is the real risk).

Still there?? Nitrosamines are known carcinogens, and nitrate levels in vegetables are controlled by the antioxidants present within that veggie.

Let’s talk about what has been proven. There is a proven link to the triggering of migraines – especially to those who already suffer from them, when Nitrites are consumed. There is a positive association with gastric cancer, but apparently insufficient information to associate it with oesophageal cancer (Info from Wiki). There are links to colon cancer, pancreatic cancer, and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) (www.marksdailyapple.com). We also go to social issues, headaches, irritable bowel symptoms, itchy rashes, asthma, children’s behaviour problems, difficulty falling asleep and frequent night waking. There are also reader reports on the Fed Up website associated with behavioural issues, growing pains, stuttering, headaches and asthma. Worth a look for sure. A study published by researchers at Rhode Island Hospital in the US reported a link between increased levels of nitrates and increased deaths from certain diseases including Alzheimer's, diabetes mellitus and Parkinson's, possibly through the damaging effect of nitrosamines on DNA. (www.fedup.com.au)

Nitrates and Nitrites can also leech into our water, due to over fertilisation. Which is why a water filter in your home is ESSENTIAL!!! (You just wait until I write about water!!)

Nitrosamines have also been detected in some beers (my favourite beverage!)!! Nooooo!! It is formed by direct-fire drying of barley malt. It is more common now to indirectly fire dry the barley malt, and the level of nitrosamines are greatly reduced. But it’s still there, and judging by how much beer I drink – the levels would creep up pretty quickly!

So… between your bacon and eggs for breakfast, your ham and salad roll for lunch, a few beers in the afternoon while the kids have a frozen pizza for a snack, and prepacked ravioli for dinner… how do we change our habits??

1.       Get a water filter. You must get one that filters out Fluoride and Chlorine, as well as trace chemicals. We love PSI Filters (get a reverse osmisis alkalising system - the people there are really helpful!), or at Nourished Life online, a 1.5L Filter jug also alkalises and de-fluoridates the water.
2.       Source nitrite free meats. You have to do this. Look on the back of the pack. If it has (250), put it back. Check out PasturePerfect Meats – they’re organic and Nitrite free. It might be expensive, but what price do you put on your health??

3.       Don’t think that because you’re eating veggies with your nitrite-rich meat that you can get away with it. There are only enough antioxidants in the vegetable to deal with processing the nitrites created from that veggie. Any left over ones will not be sufficient to deal with the nitrosamine influx in your system.

As the page gets bigger, I’ll have a favourites page – keep an eye out for it. There’ll be all my favourite suppliers for all of our natural and organic needs!