Research from a British university suggests a common preservative called Sodium Benzoate, found in many mainstream sodas, has the ability to switch off vital parts of DNA.

Sodium Benzoate has already received bad press when several years ago it came to light that when mixed with vitamin C in soft drinks, it creates benzene, a carcinogenic substance. Many brands were forced to remove product from sale and to change their formulas.

Now, an expert in aging at Sheffield University in England, who has been researching Sodium Benzoate since 1999, has uncovered another danger. Professor Peter Piper, a professor of molecular biology and biotechnology, tested the impact of Sodium Benzoate on living yeast cells in his laboratory. What he found alarmed him: the benzoate was damaging an important area of DNA in the “power station” of cells known as the mitochondria. He told a British newspaper, “These chemicals have the ability to cause severe damage to DNA in the mitochondria to the point that they totally inactivate it: they knock it out altogether.” There are many illnesses now tied to DNA damage, including Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerative diseases, but above all, the aging process in general. This research does not prove a definitive link between Sodium Benzoate and disease but it does suggest very strong caution. Several citizens groups have called for a review by the FDA. Other studies have suggested a link between Sodium Benzoate and hyperactivity in children.

Sodium benzoate derives from benzoic acid. It occurs naturally in berries, but is used in much larger quantities to prevent mold in soft drinks. It is also added to pickles, sauces and other prepared foods

Coca-cola has announced that it is phasing out the use of Sodium Benzoate in most, but not all its products. Fanta and Dr. Pepper continue to contain it as do many products from other beverage compan

I know that I’m beginning to sound like a raving lunatic about the hazards of food additives, pesticides and processing methods in our food supply. It is just that the more I learn, the more appalled I become.

Crystal Light is positioned in the marketplace as a health oriented drink mix. Its advertising says that it will help you drink more water, which sounds like a healthy idea. It even comes in flavors like Antioxidant White Tea Blueberry and Immunity Pomegranate Cherry. Doesn’t that sound healthy?

So let’s look at what Crystal Light is made from. Here is the ingredients label from one of their original, and best known flavors:

Citric Acid, Potassium and Sodium Citrate, Aspartame, Magnesium Oxide, Contains less than 2% of Natural Flavor, Lemon Juice Solids, Acesulfame Potassium, Artificial Color Yellow #5 Lake, BHA

Citric Acid is a relatively benign ingredients. Most citric acid is made by fermenting cane sugar or molasses in the presence of a fungus called Aspergillus niger. If you are allergic to yeast, you should stay away but for the rest of us, Citric Acid seems to be a generally safe additive.

Potassium Citrate and Sodium Citrate – These are mineral salts normally found in food. Because of a long history of their use and the fact that they are found in unprocessed foods, there have been very few studies about the effects of the manufactured forms of these products. However, the no significant studies show problems.

Aspartame, is an artificial sweetener. This chemical has been linked to cancer, increased risk of seizures and memory loss. Aspartame is made up of 3 ingredients: Aspartic acid (40%), phenylalanine (50%) and methanol (10%). Ingestion of Aspartame increases aspartic acid levels in the blood; higher levels of aspartic acid can lead to the destruction of neurons. Phenylalanine is an amino acid regularly found in the body, but some people suffer from a disorder called PKU; an inability to metabolize phenylalanine. High levels of phenylalanine have been found in the brains of people who consume aspartame. Methanol is slowly broken down in the small intestine, but if it reaches 30 degrees celsius or higher, it reacts with the chymotripsin to form formaldehyde. In Operation Desert Storm, troops supplied with large quantities of diet soda reported symptoms that mimic formaldehyde poisoning. Some American aviation publications have warned pilots about consuming products containing Aspartame due to complaints of seizure like symptoms, blurred vision and blackouts. Aspartame was recently identified in some studies from Italy as possibly increasing the risk of leukemia, lymphoma and breast cancer (CSPI’s Nutrition Action cover story Chemical Cuisine: A Guide To Food Additives, May 2008). And finally, 75% of complaints to the FDA regarding health complications from food additives have involved Aspartame. There are many governmental studies that refute the adverse affects of Aspartame, but since there is so much evidence implicating this chemical with health problems, why take chances? According to the well-respected Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), “The bottom line is that lifelong consumption of aspartame probably increases the risk of cancer. People—especially young children—should not consume foods and beverages sweetened with aspartame…”

Magnesium Oxide – Like Potassium and Sodium Citrate, Magnesium Oxide is a dietary supplement. It is used to prevent caking of powders. While it is a relatively benign additive, excessive amounts can cause loose stool.

Lemon juice solids – Lemon juice solids are simply the solids extracted from lemons and turned into a powder. Again, this is a relatively benign ingredient. However, if you are concerned about pesticides, according to USDA and FDA tests on commercially grown foods collected between 2000 and 2005, lemon had 55.6% (percentage) of samples tested with detectable pesticides, a 10.0% (percentage) of samples with two or more pesticides. So it is likely that you are getting a dose of pesticide with those juice solids

Acesulfame-K or Ace-K is an artificial sweetener used in Coke Zero. There have been inadequate studies to conclusively prove this substance is totally safe for human consumption. Acesulfame Potassium (K) was approved for use by the FDA as a safe artificial sweetener in July, l988. It is a derivative of acetoacetic acid. Unfortunately, several potential problems associated with the use of acesulfame have been raised. They are based largely on animal studies since testing on humans remains limited. The findings showed that Acesulfame K stimulates insulin secretion in a dose dependent fashion thereby possibly aggravating reactive hypoglycemia (”low blood sugar attacks”). Acesulfame K apparently produced lung tumors, breast tumors, rare types of tumors of other organs (such as the thymus gland), several forms of leukemia and chronic respiratory disease in several rodent studies, even when less than maximum doses were given. In 1996 the Center for Science in the Public Interest petitioned the FDA for additional testing to determine safety. That testing has never been done.

Artificial Color Yellow Lake #5 – This chemical is also also known as Tartrazine. There is currently a petition to the FDA to ban tartrazine from food. Some schools have banned products containing tartrazine and subsequently noticed a big difference in the overall behavior of their students. Tartrazine is a coal tar derivative, like most artificial colorings, and is one of the most controversial of the azo dies used in food. Norway has banned the substance. This chemical has been linked to severe allergic reactions, especially in asthmatics and is one of the food additives thought to be a cause of hyperactivity in children

BHA - Butylated hydroxyanisole is a preservative usually used in cereals, potato chips and chewing gum to stop them from becoming rancid. It has been shown to cause cancer in mice, rats and hamsters. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services considers BHA to be “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.” Despite this warning, the FDA still allows BHA to be used.

So Crystal Light looks a lot less like a health food when you look closely at the ingredients label. The packaging says in big bold highly visible letters “NATURAL LEMONADE” and then in tiny, tiny letters, it says “flavor.” If this isn’t clearly designed to mislead consumers, I’ll eat my BHA.

Thankfully, we no longer need to add chemicals to our water to enjoy delicious on-the-go drinks. We no longer need to patronize these companies that try to mislead consumers about what is in their products. Flavrz Drink Mix is now available in on-the-go packets that Flavor 12-20 ounces of water.

Flavrz Drink Mix is free of all artificial ingredients, USDA certified organic, and contains no pesticides residue. Flavrz is low sugar (only 9 grams per serving) and low calorie (only 30 calories per serving). Flavrz packets are more expensive than Crystal Light because real ingredients—fruit, agave nectar and flavorings and coloring made with real fruits, vegetables and botanticals–are more expensive than artificial, chemical-based additives. But they are not only free of things are unhealthy, they have lots of healthy ingredients that are actually good for you.

Water is good for you. Most of us could use a little help to drink more water and stay well hydrated, especially in the colder months when we are exposed to the dryness of indoor heating systems. If a drink mix helps us drink more water, it is a positive contributor to health, but only if it the flavoring is made from good healthy things.

BPA – What it is and why you should be afraid of it

What is BPA ? It’s full name is bisphenol-a. This chemical, a synthetic estrogen used to harden polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resin, is the focus of a growing number of research studies and legislative actions. There is significant evidence that it causes serious and sometimes irreversible damage to health, even at the low doses to which the FDA considers “allowable” for daily exposure.

An estimated 6 billion pounds of BPA are produced annually around the world, generating about $6 billion in sales. It is made into thousands of products and is especially prevalent in food and beverage packaging. BPA-based plastics break down readily, particularly when heated or washed with strong detergent.

In laboratory tests, trace BPA exposure has been shown to disrupt the endocrine system and trigger a wide variety of disorders, including chromosomal and reproductive system abnormalities, impaired brain and neurological functions, cancer, cardiovascular system damage, adult-onset diabetes, early puberty, obesity and resistance to chemotherapy. As an estrogen-like substance, it has been linked to estrogen-related cancers.

In March 2007, the Environmental Working Group published a shocking study showing that BPA leached from epoxy can linings into more than half the canned foods, beverages and canned liquid infant formula it randomly purchased at supermarkets around the country. The EWG study, the first of its kind, helped explain why the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had found detectable levels of BPA in the urine of 93 percent of Americans over the age of six. A landmark assessment from the National Toxicology Program, issued in September 2008, asserted that BPA at currently allowed levels may be toxic to fetuses, infants and children. In response, Attorneys General from Connecticut, New Jersey and Delaware asked manufacturers of infant formula and baby bottles to voluntary stop using BPA in their products. The Canadian government has banned BPA in baby bottles and called for voluntary reductions of the chemical in cans of infant formula and other foods. The California State Assembly narrowly rejected a proposal to ban BPA statewide. Wal-Mart, Toys”R”Us and other large retailers have said they would discontinue sales of BPA-based plastic baby bottles, sippy cups and other food containers.

Even so, the federal Food and Drug Administration took the position that BPA in food packaging, baby bottles and drink bottles posed no risks, even to infants and children. This stance triggered a stinging rebuke from the agency’s outside Science Board, which on Oct. 31, 2008, castigated FDA officials for relying on chemical industry research and disregarding scores of independent scientists who had raised disturbing questions about the chemical.

While we wait for laws that prohibit the use of BPA in consumer products, here are some steps each of us can take to prevent BPA exposure and protect ourselves and our families:

1) Stay away from canned foods as much as possible especially canned sodas, canned baby formula, and acidic canned foods like tomato, pineapple and citrus products, which almost always use can linings containing BPA. According to the EWG, BPA leaching from canned foods and baby formulas appears to happen at higher levels than is the case with polycarbonate plastic food containers and baby bottles. Rinsing canned fruit or vegetables with water prior to eating may reduce your exposure.

2) Don’t buy or consume foods and beverages sold or served in polycarbonate plastics (#7) either. Plastic types #1, #2, and #4 are made without BPA and are safer choices. Don’t drink out of hard polycarbonate plastic water bottles unless they are marked “BPA free.” Stainless steel bottles are safer but only if they don’t have a plastic lining.

3) Never heat or microwave food in plastic of any kind. Many microwavable meals come in containers that contain BPA. Don’t reheat foods in plastic bowls or other containers

4) Read the EWG’s Guide to Baby-Safe Bottles and Infant Formula and protect your kids.

5) Drink filtered tap water instead of bottled water. Add your own flavoring. Flavrz Drink Mix is never sold in plastic containers made with BPA and it never will be. Flavrz sells no BPA containing products on its website.

6) Support Congressional efforts to regulate BPA. Write or call your U.S. Representative and ask them to support H.R. 1523, the Ban Poisonous Additives Act of 2009, which would prevent the use of BPA in the food and drink containers and cans. Tell your U.S. Senatorial delegation that you support the corresponding Senate bill, S. 593, too.

Let’s get this toxic substance out of our food chain once an for all for the sake of our bodies, for our children and for future generations.

Karen Barth
CEO - Flavrz Drink Mix.

It has become popular to talk about and to worry about global climate change and the destruction of our environment. As we all know, there are many small things we can do to slow down the damage to our world, and if large numbers of people do them, these things can make a difference.

What better place to start than with school lunches. Not only can we make a difference, but in the process, we educate our children about caring for the world that will soon belong to them.

Here are some simple ideas for creating a litterless lunch:

1. Of course, use a reusable lunch box or bag
2. Wrap sandwiches in cloth wraps or put them in reusable containers. Flavrz Store sells Wrap-n-mats, a wonderful cloth food wrapper with velcro that hold the sides together and Better Stor containers, BPA free plastic containers with lids.
3. An old fashioned thermos makes a great reusable food container. The Thermos company makes some really fun ones now. These are also available at the Flavrz Store.
4. Put filtered tap water in a reusable bottle and add flavoring. Flavrz Drink Mix is the perfect option. Or send a pouch of flavoring to school along with a bottle of water.
5. Don’t forget if you buy reusable plastic containers, make sure that they are BPA-free.
6. Try cloth napkins that get sent back with the empty lunch box
7. Try picking up odd pieces of stainless steel flatware at a flea market or discount store and sending them instead of plastic utensils. They can be washed and used over and over.

Make the commitment this year to the 100% litterless lunch. It’s easy and fun to do, and it can make a real difference to our world.

Maybe you are one of the many Americans who thinks, “organic products are too expensive and not really worth it.” Or maybe you buy organic milk, eggs and some produce and don’t worry much about other organic products. Maybe you buy “Natural” foods and think that’s good enough. I was once this way myself but as the owner of a beverage company that makes organic products, I’ve learned a lot about the importance of buying organic.

Here are 3 good reasons to buy organic whenever you can:
1. Organic products are free of pesticides and chemical additives. Non-organic products are packed full of chemical with questionable safety records, and sometimes are made completely from such chemicals. Even so called natural products can be loaded with chemicals that are used in growing or processing. The FDA has allowed many colorings, flavoring agents, pesticides, and processing aids to become part of our food chain, in spite of evidence that they may have seriously negative impact on our health. Children especially are vulnerable to the impact of these chemicals on the body.
2. Natural products can be very misleading. The term “All Natural” can mean just about anything and isn’t actually regulated by the FDA. Anything derived from plants, animals or elements found on planet Earth could earn the “all natural” label. The key is in understanding that it’s the process that’s unnatural, not the source. When you chemically or structurally alter food ingredients into a form that no longer appears anywhere in nature, it’s no longer natural. For example, autolyzed yeast extract is a so-called natural flavor enhancer. It is really just a form of MSG. It is found in small quantities in tomatoes, seaweed and other vegetables. But it’s refined, concentrated form can be 1000 times more concentrated than anything found in nature, and in this form it is a dangerous “excitotoxin.” Similarly high fructose corn syrup is a corn derivative that is refined to a state that is not found in nature. There is nothing wrong with eating corns, but our bodies weren’t designed to digest refined corn syrup.

3. Organic products are good for the earth. Organic farming prevents build up of pesticides in our water supply, in fields and in the atmosphere. It helps keep animals safe. Plus most organic farms follow sustainable farming practices.

In our society where abundance is all around us, where food is often wasted and where many of us eat more food than we need, why not follow the path of “less is more.” Buy fewer processed foods and when you do, make sure they are organic. These organic foods will make you feel better and they’ll help you stay healthier over the long run.

But best of all, organic foods taste really wonderful.

Many interesting products are on the market that aim to promote wellness.  There are supplements, foods and drinks that claim to  increase energy, slow down aging, help with weight loss, build immunity and more.   Some of these products work well;  I even take some of them myself.  But it is also true that our focus on popping pills and drinking functional beverages can distract us from the more important basics of good health and wellness. 

What are these basics?  We at Flavrz have a philosphy of wellness based on a few simple steps that can work for everyone, young and old, and that don’t have to cost a lot of money. 

Step 1 -  Exercise

The benefits of exercise are so overwhelming and well publicized.  Research shows that health is better in those who are overweight and exercise, than in those who are of normal weight and are sedentary.  Exercise improves cardio-vasular health, is a great mood uplifter and even helps prevent cancer.  It is linked with decreased incidence of almost every category of disease.  People who excercise not onlylive longer but they live better as they age with with strong bones and better cognitive functioning.   Research shows that even a little exercise is better than no excercise.  Find something you like doing.  You don’t have to go to a gym dancing, housework , walking around the neighborhood are all exercise.  Find a friend to join you or excercise with your children.  It is easier to start a new habit if you have someone to help you.

Step 2 - Eat more fruits and vegetables

Real fruits and vegetable and products made from them, help our bodies in ways that are well understood by science and many have benefits that scientists have yet to understand.    When we take vitamins as a substitue for eating things that grow in the ground we miss out on some important benefits that come from eating the real thing.  If you don’t love fruits and vegetables try fruit and vegetable drinks or bars containing nuts and dried fruits.  You can also “hide” fruits and vegetable in bread recipes, in rice or put together a tasty salad.    Keep count and make sure that you are getting at least 6 servngs a day and go for variety to get the maximum amount of absorbed nutriets. 

Step 3 - Spend time with friends and family

Laughter, play, and social interaction with other human beings (and with animuals) produce anti-stress chemicals in our bodies that have a great effect on health.  In these busy times, its is easy to miss out on this important contributor to mental and physcial health.  Loneliness and isolation feed on themselves and can contribute to high stress levels which in turn lead to more isolation and to stress-related illnesses.  Research shows that most adults enjoy the company of many acquaintances but the majority of people over 30 lack a close friend in whom they can confide.  It is never too late to take a risk and reach out to make a new friend. 

Step 4 - Sleep 7-9 hours a night

Sleep recharges the immune system.  The average American is missing out on 1-2 hours of needed sleep every night.  Most of America’s children and teens are chronically sleep deprived.  Overstimulation of the nervous system from television, food additives and sugar, caffeine and chronic stress are common causes.  Some people are just too busy and overcommitted to sleep enough.  Develop a normal sleep routine.  Establish an early wake up time and a calming evening routine for your entire household.  Stay away from television within an hour or two of bedtime. 

Step 5 - Drink more water

Dehydration is a bigger problem in America than most people realize.   Blood, kidney, heart and lungs are made of 80% or more water. Muscle, spleen, brain, intestines, & skin are 72 - 75% water. Even bones are 22% and fat tissue is 10% water. On a normal, moderate temperature, inactive day you would lose 1.5 liters (6 glasses) of water through kidney filtration (urine production) and another 0.750 - 1 liter (3 - 4 glasses) through the skin and respiration. So an average person needs 8 - 9 glasses per day just to replace average losses. It is true you get some of that from fruits, vegetable, other beverages and food. Caffeinated, alcoholic and many carbonated beverages have a diuretic effect and actually increase the daily fluid requirements.   Chronic dehydration has been linked with a variety of serious health problems including asthma,arthritis, cancer,diabetes, emotional problems high blood pressure, obesity, infections, and premature aging.   There are many beverages that are marketed as functional health beverages but water is the healthiest beverage on earth.    If you have trouble drinking enough water, try adding flavoring.  Flavrz is one of the only healthy water flavorings around. 

These ideas are not complicated and they are not new.  They are research-based ways to improve health.  This is not to say that we can’t all benefit from antioxidants supplements, Omega oils, CoQ-10, and other over-the-counter supplements and health foods but if you have only the energy or the resources to make a few changes in your life, these 5 steps are a better starting point.

Most people don’t think about it, but the way we spend our food and beverage dollars has a huge impact on our planet. The global food industry at $4 trillion is one of the largest and most important industries worldwide. The way food and drink is grown, processed, packaged, transported and disposed of, can support our goals and values, or, not.

Every week most of us go to the supermarket and vote with our dollars for food and beverages that don’t always reflect our value system. We want to be healthy. We want our children to be healthy. We want our planet to be healthy. But we support many companies whose practices would make our skin crawl if we had the time to really look into it.

Beverages are arguably the most important piece of the this picture. Our bodies are 70% water. These fluids need to be continuously replenished. Until the middle of 20th century, most people around the world drank water, either from the tap or from natural sources. A beverage with flavoring was a special treat.

The beverage industry grew dramatically by selling products that were cheap to produce (made mostly of sugar, chemicals and plastic or aluminum packaging) and spending big on marketing. 1985 was the first year that soft drink consumption in the U.S. surpassed the consumption of tap water. Since then, the beverage industry has continued to grow.

Its time for a change. The beverage industry wastes billions of tons of packaging materials. Bottles and cans are cluttering up our landfills and littered all over our highways. The beverages that most Amiercan’s drink are known to contribute to obesity and are suspected in a large variety of other disorders.

Vote with your dollars for a new way of drinking. Filter your own tap water, put it in a reusable container and add flavoring at home. If everyone in America did this, billions of tons of packaging waste would be saved and billions of gallons of fuel would be saved in transportation.

The little changes we make, sometimes are not so little. It’s time to rethink what we drink.