A few months ago, my chemistry professor had us research Sodium Benzoate and write a short, one page paper on it. I had no clue what it was at the time, but soon found out that it is seriously bad news. Bad news that hardly anyone knows about, as far as I'm concerned.
So, I've sort of put this off till now, but I'm posting this here for all of you. Because you're all important to me and I want you to be aware; to be healthy and safe. I've even included sources so you can look into it further, if you wish.
It's not a great paper, I know. But the idea is what counts; my point still stands.
Sodium Benzoate
Sodium benzoate is a mold-inhibitor used as a preservative and found in many household items such as sauces, pickles, soft drinks, and many others. It can be found naturally in many various fruits, milks, and spices—however in doses of around 40 mg/kg. Sodium benzoate is derived from benzoic acid, which had originally been made from the distillation of gum benzoin (McCoy). However, today as a preservative, sodium benzoate is no longer obtained this way, but instead it is synthesized in a lab and made cheaply from toluene. In the products you ingest, it is in doses of nearly 2,000 mg/kg (Wells).
Sodium benzoate alone attaches to cells and attacks DNA at the cellular level. It destroys and ceases the functions of the cells' mitochondria—it's powerhouse-- and deprives it of oxygen. Much like we need oxygen to survive, our body's cells need oxygen in order to fight off infection, and in some cases prevent cancers (Wells). Sodium benzoate, when absorbed into the body, can cause problems with the liver, promote cancers, and cause neurodegenerative diseases. (Piper) It would seem that sodium benzoate plays a role in aging, also (McCoy).
When acting alone, sodium benzoate can choke and kill cells, and promote infection within them. However, when it is ingested with vitamin c, it creates benzene, which is a carcinogen and even an air pollutant (McCoy). Unfortunately, it is already mixed with these things: pickles, jams, salsa, fruit juices, and such. The reason it is added to these with little to no hindsight on the consumers' behalf is that it is the cheapest preservative—despite the risks, it raises the life expectancy of products with minimal costs (aside from the consumer health, of course,) (Wells).
Some examples of what everyday household products contain sodium benzoate are as follows:
• Kikkoman Terriyaki sauce
• MT Olive 'Bread and Butter Chips' pickles
• Texas Pete Hot Sauce
• Aunt Jemima Maple Syrup
• Canned Maraschino Cherries
• Great Value Strawberry Syrup
• Sensodyne Toothpaste
• Herbal Essences Shampoo
• Pantene Shampoo
• Equate Childrens' Allergy Medication
Considering this, and all the information above, the only obvious solution is to change eating habits. There is enough information to validate that despite its mass use and production, and its acceptance by the FDA (McCoy), sodiam benzoate is not a safe product for ingestion or absorption. It isn't fair that corporations are risking peoples' health and safety in order to take shortcuts and save money.
In order to prevent the consumption of sodium benzoate, it would be reasonable to check the ingredients of purchased goods—it is present in products with slightly high pH (acidity) and it would be wise to consult with ingredient labels. If you manage to avoid sodium benzoate, then you won't have to worry about it mixing with your necessary intake of vitamin c and causing the carcinogenic benzene. Stay away from sodium benzoate and it will reduce your risk of health problems—however, with the knowledge that the FDA readily claims an unsafe preservative to be nearly harmless in the quantities it is used, who knows what other ingredients they've approved have the potential to be harmful?
Bibliography
McCoy, Louise. "Sodium Benzoate Dangers." Sodium Benzoate Is a Preservative That Kills Healthy Cells and Promotes Cancer. The Epoch Times, 2012. Web. 03 Apr. 2012. <http://zerotoherotv.com/blogs/entry/Sodium-benzoate-is-a-preservative-that-kills-healthy-cells-and-promotes-cancer>.
Piper, Peter. "Top Form Secrets."b: Sodium Benzoate in Club Soda Is Carcinogenic. University of Sheffield, 12 Mar. 2011. Web. 03 Apr. 2012. <http://www.topformsecrets.com/2011/03/sodium-benzoate-in-club-soda-is.html>.
Wells, S. D. "Sodium Benzoate Is a Preservative That Promotes Cancer and Kills Healthy Cells." Natural Health News. Natural News, 29 Sept. 2011. Web. 03 Apr. 2012. <http://www.naturalnews.com/033726_sodium_benzoate_cancer.html>.
