Water v Coke

[wombat2u2004]

#1. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. (Likely applies to half the world population.)

#2. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak
that it is mistaken for hunger.

#3. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's metabolism by 3%.

#4. One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs
for almost 100% of the dieters studied in Washington
University study.

#5. Lack of water, the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.

#6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of
water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain
for up to 80% of sufferers.

#7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term
memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on
the computer screen or on a printed page.

#8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of
colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast
cancer by 79%., and one is 50% less likely to develop
bladder cancer. Are you drinking the amount of water
you should drink every day?

COKE

#1. In many states the highway patrol carries
two gallons of Coke in the trunk to remove blood from
the highway after a car accident.

#2. You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of Coke
and it will be gone in two days.

#3. To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coca-Cola into the
toilet bowl and let the "real thing" sit for one hour,
then flush clean. The citric acid in Coke removes
stains from vitreous china.

#4. To remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers:
rub the bumper with a rumpled-up piece of Reynolds
Wrap aluminum foil dipped in Coca-Cola.

#5. To clean corrosion from car battery terminals: Pour
a can of Coca-Cola over the terminals to bubble
away the corrosion.

#6. To loosen a rusted bolt: Apply a cloth soaked in Coca-Cola
to the rusted bolt for several minutes.

#7. To bake a moist ham: Empty a can of C! oca-Cola into
the baking pan, wrap the ham in aluminum foil, and bake.
thirty minutes before ham is finished, remove the foil, allowing the drippings to mix with the Coke for a sumptuous brown gravy.

#8 To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of Coke
into the load of greasy clothes, add detergent, and run
through a regular cycle. The Coca-Cola will help loosen
grease stains. It will also clean road haze from your
windshield.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION:

#1. The active ingredient in Coke is phosphoric acid.
It will dissolve a nail in about four days. Phosphoric
acid also leaches calcium from bones and is a major
contributor to the rising increase of osteoporosis.

#2. To carry Coca-Cola syrup (the concentrate) the
commercial trucks must use a hazardous material place
cards reserved for highly corrosive materials.

#3. The distributors of Coke have been using it to clean
engines of the trucks for about 20 years!

Now the question is, would you like a glass of water? ....
or Coke?

[catnapper]

Good thing I haven't had Coke or any other cola product in a good 10 years!

I don't drink much water -- mostly unsweatened tea. I think I'll start drinking more water though! :)

[sweetpatata6]

I don't like soda period. And I never have.


BUT I drink water ALL the time. :D good to know!!

[jackmilliesmom]

there goes my afternoon caffine fix.........

[Karen]

Source please, as I don't believe lots of the water claims. I drink lots of water, by the way, so it's not like I am taking this personally, but a lot of that sounds completely made up.

Also, on the "Coke" side, if the citric acid in the Coke is what will "clean your toilet bowl" wouldn't orange juice or lemonade also do the same thing?

A stronger acid that is often used around the house to clean things is white vinegar, which I use to clean litterboxes.

I think folks forget that we human beings are acidic creatures ourselves ... all acid ain't bad, like all alkalai ain't bad - it's just too much in either direction that should scare you. I remember when certain shampoos labelled themselves (as a selling point) non-alkalai. Bet they wouldn;t have had the same marketing buzz with "mildly acidic" - but acid is the opposite of alkalai ...

We humans are funny (as in peculiar) critters.

[sweetpatata6]

Also, on the "Coke" side, if the citric acid in the Coke is what will "clean your toilet bowl" wouldn't orange juice or lemonade also do the same thing?




It has to do with the citric acid/ carbonation mix, because the carbonation is very corrosive ((sp?)).

[Karen]

It has to do with the citric acid/ carbonation mix, because the carbonation is very corrosive ((sp?)).

So then any soda will do, right? Because I read ingredient labels on everything, citric acid in a soft drink is bad news for me - and almost every soda has it. Which is why I drink water, by the way.

I was just pointing out how the statement in the original posted bit is incomplete and misleading.

[lvpets2002]

:) I drink lots of water too (at least 54 + oz.) per day.. I do also drink two diet cokes a day (24 oz total) per day.. However I learned to drink lots of water due to my Colon problems..

[Cataholic]

False....

http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/acid.asp

[sweetpatata6]

False....

http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/acid.asp

But coke DOES disolve teeth in ike two days. ((My friend's even done it before))

But some of those didn't seem too right...

[Catty1]

Water is a winner, though!

I started a nutrition program about 4 years ago. Part of it was to up my water intake.

And yes, as a North American I was so used to not having enough water that I didn't feel thirsty any more...but it's funny how a lot of munchies disappeared when I upped my intake!

It sure detoxed the morphine/anesthetic headache when I was in hosp.

I agree with 1, 2, and 5, even though this is mentioned on Snopes. The percentages for less cancer and other illnesses, though, I would like to see documented.

However - 6 to 8 glasses a day sure can't hurt.

[Cataholic]

For the record, I am a huge water drinker. I aim for 2 litres a day, and totally feel the difference when I am hydrated. I had heard the thing about thirst differently, like once you notice the thirst, you are already dehydrated. Don't know if it is true or not.

Gotta run! Bathroom break. :o Water does that, you know.

[elizabethann]

Good thing there's Pepsi. :p :D ;)

[wombat2u2004]

Source please, as I don't believe lots of the water claims. I drink lots of water, by the way, so it's not like I am taking this personally, but a lot of that sounds completely made up.

Also, on the "Coke" side, if the citric acid in the Coke is what will "clean your toilet bowl" wouldn't orange juice or lemonade also do the same thing?

A stronger acid that is often used around the house to clean things is white vinegar, which I use to clean litterboxes.

I think folks forget that we human beings are acidic creatures ourselves ... all acid ain't bad, like all alkalai ain't bad - it's just too much in either direction that should scare you. I remember when certain shampoos labelled themselves (as a selling point) non-alkalai. Bet they wouldn;t have had the same marketing buzz with "mildly acidic" - but acid is the opposite of alkalai ...

We humans are funny (as in peculiar) critters.

I'll try and track down the source for you. It came to me via an American PTSD site I'm a member of.....I know the guy who posted it, so will ask him.....k ?????
Wom

[momoffuzzyfaces]

#6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of
water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain
for up to 80% of sufferers.


COKE

#3. To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coca-Cola into the
toilet bowl and let the "real thing" sit for one hour,
then flush clean. The citric acid in Coke removes
stains from vitreous china.



Re: #6 Do you know how miserable you will be drinking that much water if your doctor has you on a fluid pill for high blood pressure!!! I do!!! :eek:

Re: #3. I had heard that one before so I tried it. It didn't do a thing for my toilet except look funny in the bowl! :D

[Muddy4paws]

Good thing there's Pepsi. :p :D ;)

:D This made me laugh.. ! I have a ice cold fizzy can of drink everyday with lunch, normally is coke zero or diet coke. I also drink ALOT of water I have a 2 litre bottle that I aim to drink by the end of the day.

[Lady's Human]

There's more to acid than just saying something contains acid. There's the Ph, (Per Hydrogen, IIRC) which is PART of the equation to figure out how strong the acid content in question. The other part of the question is how much acid there is in solution, or molality. Coke (and most cola beverages) contain so little phosphoric acid that the Ph is very low, but the acid is a weak solution. It can be countered by a very small amount of a base solution.

Coke doesn't have enough acid in it to remove rust, dissolve teeth, or any of the other scary claims made in the statement.

[Karen]

Ahem - to clarify Lady's Human's points - or at least give weight to them, he used to work for a soda company. Our older brother is the Plastics Engineer there (in charge of making the bottles), and Lady's Human worked Quality Control there for a time.

[moosmom]

I dink water all the time. I have a Diet Coke once in a while but nothing like I used to. Since I've been drinking water, my skin is clearer, I haven't had a UTI in years.

Water gets my vote.

[Lady's Human]

I should have clarified.

Quality Control in a beverage plant is the lab which makes sure there's the proper amount of acid, preservatives, sugar, and so on in the soda which makes it to the shelf. I worked in the lab for 2 years prior to being shanghaied into maintenance, supervision, and safety.

[Sirrahsim]

I used to drink Coca Cola like it was going out of style... I cut back a lot when I got pregnant with both of my boys and am trying not to return to my old ways now that I'm breastfeeding. Coke is my comfort item. If I am having a crappy day I can drink a coke and feel a lot better. If I allowed myself to drink a coke everytime I wanted one it would be all I would ever drink!!

It's good to know that all of those claims are bunk but honestly I think it would take a lot more than that to get me to stop drinking it :rolleyes: :D :D

[wombat2u2004]

Well, I think the message intended by whoever the author of that read, is that water is more healthier than coke. And well, if you are in doubt of that, and your doctor tells you that it's more beneficial to drink coke than water for some unusual medical condition, then go for it !!!!! I for one wouldn't go back to a doctor who told me that....LOL.
I for one am not a coke drinker, knowing that IS bad for you.
Wom

[wombat2u2004]

And...........it goes on and on..............
http://www.organicconsumers.org/school/cocacola021605.cfm
http://cspinet.org/new/200303041.html
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=2536421&page=1

And Coca Cola even have set up their own HEALTH SITE....wow !!!!!
http://www.beverageinstitute.org/

Unbelievable....simply unbelievable.
Wom

[Marigold2]

That's why I drink Cosmo.:p :p

[Kalei]

Water for me please:D

[Lady's Human]

CSPI has had it's "science" ripped apart so many times it's not even worth looking at.

[wombat2u2004]

CSPI has had it's "science" ripped apart so many times it's not even worth looking at.

Yes....I suppose so !!!!! But I think it's worth looking at.
And who is one to believe ????? An institute that most probably has very inadequate funding ?? Or a multi national corporation, who fills the internet with webpages and webpages of their so called HEALTH BENEFITS from drinking coke.
Hahahahaa.....I only have to ask my local doctor about the benefits of coca cola, and I know exactly what he would say to me.
I see report after report, newspaper article after newspaper article of the obesity and other problems faced by your very own country....reams and reams of professional paperwork, whilst at the same time you get coca cola and McDonalds shoving down our throat how beneficial their products are for the public.
Tell me why LH.......why is it that your country is plagued with massive health problems connected to junk food ????
Wom

[wombat2u2004]

And further on the topic............
Ok....lets disregard CPSI......lets now have a look at the ABC link.
Funny.....I searched and I searched.........I could find no link on that study at all by coca cola or its so called health site set ups.
Odd do you think ???? Not really....when you think about Coca cola's side of the fence........gee.......where talking big bucks here....worldwide to !!!!!
Why on earth would coca cola comment on osteoarthritis in senior women ???
It just may affect their profit margin....do you think ?????
Wom

[wombat2u2004]

False....

http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/acid.asp

Well....you give your youngin whatever you want him to drink.....and I'll do the same for mine....k ????

[Lady's Human]

Wom, if you drink too much water it can poison you and kill you.

If you drink too much coke it can be bad for you.

The same goes for damned near anything.

There is an LD 50 (dosage at which 50% of the test population will die from acute effects) that has been lab tested for Corn Syrup, sugar and a few other innocuous foods. I could write up an article on them in such a manner that you'd be afraid to eat anything in your fridge.

The point is, as the old saying goes, all things in moderation.

[wombat2u2004]

Yes, true, all things in moderation is the go. But even then, some things are ok to consume, and others are not.
Am I to assume that Coca cola is not one of the products that is responsible for obesity and related problems in the USA ?????
Wom

[Lady's Human]

Coke, McDonalds, BK, KFC are in no way responsible for obesity in the US.

The responsibility lies (as far as food goes, there are exceptions who have no control over their metabolism) with those who have no self control and pay no attention to what they are eating. If you eat 4000 calories a day and sit on your butt, guess what? You're going to be overweight!

[wombat2u2004]

Coke, McDonalds, BK, KFC are in no way responsible for obesity in the US.

The responsibility lies (as far as food goes, there are exceptions who have no control over their metabolism) with those who have no self control and pay no attention to what they are eating. If you eat 4000 calories a day and sit on your butt, guess what? You're going to be overweight!

Well....I think differently mate. I don't let my kids eat or drink certain things, as I believe some things are harmful to them, particularly when they were young.
Wom

[Lady's Human]

Exactly my point.

If you know something isn't good for you, WHY EAT IT? Occasionally is okay, but there are people who eat fast food 3 meals a day.

There are other choices out there. No one is holding a gun to anyone's head forcing them to buy Coke, McD's, ad nauseum.

It's not the corporations' fault. It's the person's fault.

[Edwina's Secretary]

My grandfather, who disliked cola products, warned me about the evils when I was a child. Clean nails, tenderize meat, etc. He died in 1967. So those stories have been around quite a while.... ;) ;)

The logic escaped me back then as it does now...a product that will dissolve nails...if billions of people drink it on a regular basis...wouldn't bunches and bunches of them DIE??? Even as ineffectual as most governments are...would people keep drinking an ACID that ate the stomach???

Didn't a woman in California (of course!) DIE recently from drinking too much water?

Never made any sense to me.

But then...any doctor who suggested to me that one practice was "more healthier" than another...well...I would go to a "more smarter" doctor right away!

[wombat2u2004]

It's not the corporations' fault. It's the person's fault.

Ahhhhhhhhh....maybe. What of all of the advertising these people do ???
What of the all BS that they hit you with regards to nutrition in their products ? They don't tell us of what we really want to know, and that is, what harm it does us.
Wom

[Lady's Human]

Funny, I wasn't aware that Coke had claimed it was nutritious.

There are nutraceutical products coming from Coke, 7Up, at al, but their claims have to be approved by the FDA.

[Giselle]

I just had to add...I tried drinking the 8 glasses of water per day thing. It roughly equals 4 water bottles. I can't believe such a thing can be healthy when it makes you want to urinate ALL the time. Honestly, I tracked how often I had to "go" and I think it got as bad as going once per hour. No thanks. My petite frame can only handle 2-3 water bottles per day without reverting back to diaper days!

I think we give blanket statements a little too much nowadays. 8 8 oz. glasses of water may do the average American good, but I can't handle that much. Water poisoning didn't seem a far off idea then, either... =/

[wombat2u2004]

Funny, I wasn't aware that Coke had claimed it was nutritious.

There are nutraceutical products coming from Coke, 7Up, at al, but their claims have to be approved by the FDA.

I never claimed it was nutritious either, what Coke gives you tho.....is only a certain amount of so called NUTRITION information...........

Coca-Cola has announced that it plans to disclose the caffeine content on all of its beverages, as part of the company's rollout of expanded nutrition labeling in the US.

The move, which the firm said is part of an industry initiative, comes just days after competitor PepsiCo announced it would label caffeine on its Pepsi drinks.

Coca-Cola said the new packaging labels will provide the exact amount of caffeine in each serving.

"The inclusion of caffeine content information is an additional voluntary step taken by The Coca-Cola System. In 2005, Coca-Cola North America introduced labeling that provides consumers with nutrition information for a standard eight-ounce serving as well as for the total of a single-serve package," said the company in a statement.

The global drinks giant has already included caffeine labeling on its Full Throttle and Enviga packaging.

It will roll out the new labels on its other brands, starting with cans of Coca-Cola Classic in May, said the firm. It will then expand to other brands and packages during the remainder of the year.

The time at which the revised labels reach store shelves will vary by brand and by region as US bottlers use up existing inventories of packaging.

Earlier this week, competing firm PepsiCo also said it also plans to clearly label the caffeine content of its flagship soda.

"We're simply giving consumers more information," said PepsiCo.

Under current regulations, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted caffeine generally recognized as safe (GRAS) status in cola-type beverages, to a limit of 0.02 percent.

But the American Dietetic Association – as well as the Food Standards Agency in the UK – advises people not to consume more than 300mg of caffeine per day. Health Canada advises consumers to limit their caffeine intake to 400 to 450 mg per day. This advice is particularly aimed at pregnant women, who, studies indicate, have greater risk of miscarriage or babies with low birth weight if they exceed the 300mg barrier.

A study published last year in the Journal of Analytical Toxicology stated that all drinks containing caffeine should display the caffeine content on their labels, to prevent those at risk from consuming too much of the substance.

The research team analyzed the caffeine content of 10 energy drinks and 19 fizzy sodas, all widely available. They found all the fizzy drinks had caffeine levels well inside the 65mg per 12oz serving recommended limit for cola drinks in the US. Most energy drinks had levels in the high 60s and 70s for an 8oz serving.

Dr Bruce Goldberger, one of the researchers, said he was surprised by the high caffeine content of some of the energy drinks. He pointed out that only four of the 10 were labeled with some sort of warning to consumers.

"In certain people, consumption of caffeine causes serious health effects, such as anxiety, palpitations, irritability, difficulty sleeping and stomach complaints," he said, urging for the clear labeling of the substance on all products.

For the past decade, the US consumer advocacy group Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has been calling on FDA to require the disclosure on food labels of caffeine content.

Other food and beverage manufacturers could be prudent in following Coca-Cola's and PepsiCo's lead as a way to prevent future regulatory concerns.

FoodNavigator-USA.com will next week hear from lawyers specializing in the food industry why caffeine is an issue of rising importance, and what manufacturers can do to protect themselves from imminent regulatory action.

[wombat2u2004]

Just think about it LH.........the ingredients.............
Sugar !!!! In some drinks you can get up to 10 teaspoons of sugar in a bottle.
What would you do, if you walked in your home one day and watched one of your kids gulping down the last teaspoon of sugar ???? TEN teaspoons he/she has just gobbled down !!!! I know what I would do..........the sugar would be soon out of reach. And yet.....on the other hand, it's ok for the child to have a bottle of coke !!!!!
Aspartime (sp?) .... A real corker !!!!! Health problems associated with that one are vast !!!!!
Caffeine..........addictive ????? Hey.....guess why Coca Cola uses it ????
Phosphoric Acid........!!!!! That's gotta be not so good for the system.

No mate.....I'm not buying into the argument or the proposition that someone drank themselves to death with water.......and if that were the case.......how often would that happen ????
Would I dare to compare that event with the health damage that drinking Coca Cola causes, especially to young AND aged people worldwide ??
Yes....I'd dare to compare and then choose !!!!!
And as for my doctor.........well, I'm quite certain that if he told me that drinking coca Cola was more beneficial than drinking water, then I would surely go elsewhere.
Wom

[wombat2u2004]

Gee....Coca Cola can do this to major business partners......I wonder how they treat just the ordinary guy on the street !!!!

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/18/business/18COKE.html?ex=1371355200&en=a2e6e04878cc81d6&ei=5007&partner=USERLAND

[Pam]

Wom, I don't think you and LH are that far apart with your beliefs. Of course things which contain ridiculous amounts of sugar and bad things should be eliminated from one's diet, but it is all about personal responsibility and control. I remember years ago someone sued McDonald's because they gained a tremendous amount of weight from eating there everyday. Hello.....were they tied up and force fed?

In my work I type a lot of patient notes. I am seeing an ever increasing line in my dictation ..... "the patient has a new diagnosis of adult onset diabetes." *sigh* Our bodies are like little engines. Some of us wouldn't treat our cars the way we treat our bodies. Until people realize that no one else is going to care for their bodies other than themselves there will be a decline in health.

I heard a lot of the statements about water drinking on, I think it was Oprah, years ago and it made a lot of sense. I keep telling myself I should drink more but again it is my responsibility to do it.

On the subject of Nutrasweet, don't even get me started. My brother has sent me so many articles and sites about that stuff that I wouldn't drink anything that contained Nutrasweet if it was the last beverage on earth. I have to wonder how many diseases that we are seeing more of today are a result of the increase in this and other pseudo sweeteners. Time will tell I guess.

[K9soul]

As far as the sugar content of cola being akin to someone eating straight sugar from a spoon, couldn't the same be said of a piece of candy? Ice cream? Birthday cake? I consider colas/sodas to be the same as cake or candy, nothing wrong with having it as a treat health-wise. As LH said, moderation is the key, and that is up to individuals, not the corporations to implement. My mother used to buy one 2-liter bottle of cola on shopping day and that was it. Once it was gone, it was gone until the next big grocery day which was once a month. I was not obese or unhealthy in any way. Sure if she had filled the fridge with soda and the cupboards with chips and I pigged out every day and never exercised I would have been, but that was not the case.

I browsed over the coke page some and I did not see them necessarily claiming that drinking coke was healthy, but more saying that caffeinated beverages can keep you hydrated contrary to other beliefs. I actually agree with that as I often drink tea off and on throughout the day (greens, whites, oolongs etc.) and I have no problem with dehydration. I do not have to "go" any more often than if I were drinking the same amount of water. But this could be a whole other topic and it's a bit of a tributary from the main flow of this conversation.

I also agree with Giselle about the "8 glasses of water" adage, I have actually tried to force myself to drink more water in the past after reading about the benefits and ended up not feeling well, having to go to the restroom far more often, and even feeling a bit foggy-headed and sluggish. I never made it to the daily recommended amount before giving that up.

Anyway, corporations are going to tout their products and they are welcome to it. I believe in personal responsibility and liability for the decisions we make.

[wombat2u2004]

Yes I would agree to a certain extent Pam.
Whilst I can see your's and LH's point of view, being that of one accepting their own responsibility for what they consume, I still am against this continuous advertising and such.....particularly where small children are involved. I mean kids are absolutely bombarded from a very young age with all of this junk food advertising. The young are VERY impressionable.
Of course added to this, is the fact that what they put into these products chemical wise, is usually covered up by references on their labels to a whole range of different names, mostly now coded....even something as simple as MSG has a range of names...this is all done to confuse people.
Example.......I cook a lot of Chinese food.......when I buy spices and the like, I check out what is in them......if there is MSG...I don't buy it.....if there is Ajinomoto....I don't buy it !!!! Why ???? Ajinomoto is MSG !!!!! Plain and simple. But does everyone know that ???? I have had so many people ask me what the heck Ajinomoto is !!!!! LOL
I tell ya....these food manufacturers will tell you anything to sell you their product.....and that includes Coca Cola.
Yes, there are responsible people out there who eat healthy, but there is also a lot that don't.
Wom

[Edwina's Secretary]

....I'm not buying into the argument or the proposition that someone drank themselves to death with water


It was all over the news...and discussed at length here on PT.... Too much water (http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/features_popculture_blog/2007/01/woman_drinks_wa.html)

But it is far easier I suppose to believe that cola will disolve nails...(as for pouring on roads to clean them of ANYTHING....have you ever spilled a soft drink???...a sticky-icky mess!)

Love the thought that I am not responsible for my action.....my actions are fault of the advertisers! (Ever think of turning OFF the tv??)

[wombat2u2004]

It was all over the news...and discussed at length here on PT.... Too much water (http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/features_popculture_blog/2007/01/woman_drinks_wa.html)

But it is far easier I suppose to believe that cola will disolve nails...(as for pouring on roads to clean them of ANYTHING....have you ever spilled a soft drink???...a sticky-icky mess!)

Love the thought that I am not responsible for my action.....my actions are fault of the advertisers!

Thankyou for that ES. I wasn't aware of that information, and have just checked it out accordingly.
I withdraw that comment with reference to same on my previous post.
Wom

[Cataholic]

Giselle, FWIW, your body does adjust to the water intake. I don't live in the ladie's room....and, I have heard that 8-8oz glasses of water is subject to interpretation...colas, teas, juice, milk...all can count towards it...(where in the past it had been only non-caffeinated products).

Everything in moderation, including moderation.

Wom- Jonah totally enjoyed his 4 ounce of orange pop last night, thank you very much!

[Pembroke_Corgi]

This is turning into an interesting discussion about advertising responsibility versus personal responsibility. I'm not saying that the individual should have none- in fact, I think people should be more aware than many people are now. But I also think companies should have responsibilities, too. Shouldn't it lie with both parties?

Advertising is very powerful, obviously, or we wouldn't be barraged with ads all day long (not just tv either- I rarely, if ever, turn on the tv set but I see ads on billboards, in stores, on cars- everywhere). I think some marketing is just plain irresponsible- like many ads for alcohol, or all kinds of junky food being marketed just for young children, who are just learning food habits they will carry for their lifetimes.

LH, you say that eating healthy is a choice, and if people are fat, it's there own fault. To an extent, I agree- but look at how much it costs to eat healthy! Are people who make minimum wage really going to spend their meager earnings on apples- $1.79/ lb at my grocery store last night, or are they going to buy, say 5 boxes of mac & cheese for the same price? In many cases, making the right food choices is vastly more expensive than making the wrong ones.

[elizabethann]

That's why I drink Cosmo.:p :p

OMG. I never thought I'd ever "meet" someone who drinks Cosmo! Cool beans. :) You rock.

[Pembroke_Corgi]

Of course added to this, is the fact that what they put into these products chemical wise, is usually covered up by references on their labels to a whole range of different names, mostly now coded....even something as simple as MSG has a range of names...this is all done to confuse people.
Example.......I cook a lot of Chinese food.......when I buy spices and the like, I check out what is in them......if there is MSG...I don't buy it.....if there is Ajinomoto....I don't buy it !!!! Why ???? Ajinomoto is MSG !!!!! Plain and simple. But does everyone know that ???? I have had so many people ask me what the heck Ajinomoto is !!!!! LOL

MSG isn't harmful to people- that is actually a myth! There have been numerous studies that show it isn't a health risk at all- though a small percentage of people may experience temporary symptoms from large amounts, but it doesn't require medical care.

http://www.hawaii.edu/ur/University_Report/URMay/MSG.html

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/monosodium-glutamate/AN01251

[Edwina's Secretary]

I was thinking....

yesterday I bought a carton of canned coke. I have houseguests coming and they like coke. In the grocery store the package began to leak...all over me of course.

I assumed it leaked because I had been driving my cart somewhat "hard" and the carton may have banged against the side...causing a rupture in one of the cans.

Now I wonder....if coke can eat through nails in a couple of days...how do they keep it in the cans???

Should I be worrying about the cans in my refrigerator suddenly disintergrating?

And why....if the iron I buy has a warning on it not to iron clothes while wearing said clothes...doesn't coke come with a warning...do not pour on nails?

[Cataholic]

I was thinking....

I assumed it leaked because I had been driving my cart somewhat "hard" and the carton may have banged against the side...causing a rupture in one of the cans.



I am thinking......you might need a warning sign on YOU- driving a grocery cart is serious business! Slow down, slow down (that is what Jones says when I drive too fast).

[BC_MoM]

A few summers ago I lost 15lbs JUST by drinking several bottles of water a day. I didn't change my diet or anything. It was awesome. :)

Sometimes I have troubles drinking plain bottled water, so I add iced tea, or crystal light (usually not the whole singles package).

[Lady's Human]

PC, To a point I agree with you on the expense, but take those 5 boxes of Mac and cheese, serve with something healthy and RELATIVELY inexpensive (for example a salad) and viola! a healthy, but inexpensive meal.

We were having a similar discussion in another forum, and the excuse there was time. Well, it doesn't take long to set up a week of lunches in advance. I worked plenty of 20+ hour days while avoiding McD's, etc. while I was running ops in the Army.

Frequently it comes down to the easy choice that's not the best for you, or the better choice that may take some time, effort and planning.

[wombat2u2004]

MSG isn't harmful to people- that is actually a myth!

Headaches !!!!! Sometimes migraines. In my experience. And what people usually complain of is thirst.
I know of a lot of people who don't eat anything at all with MSG in it.
Wom

[Karen]

Headaches !!!!! Sometimes migraines. In my experience. And what people usually complain of is thirst.
I know of a lot of people who don't eat anything at all with MSG in it.
Wom

Science doesn't know everything about why the human body reacts as it does, and why some people react one way to some things and someone else will have the opposite reaction. This is true of physiology as well as pharmacalogically. Take caffiene - one amount will put some people to sleep, keep some people awake, and have no effect on others ... but too much of it - like so many things - will kill you!

We human beings are tricky critters. When my mother was in college - during and just after the end of World War II, a professor of hers told her with firm assurance that everything there is to be known about the human brain would be discovered in the next ten years.

"Funny," she told me in probably about 1976 - "I think those ten years get further away every year!"

[Pam]

Yes I would agree to a certain extent Pam.
Whilst I can see your's and LH's point of view, being that of one accepting their own responsibility for what they consume, I still am against this continuous advertising and such.....particularly where small children are involved. I mean kids are absolutely bombarded from a very young age with all of this junk food advertising. The young are VERY impressionable.


Yes I agree that television is filled with commercials for foods that I would have never considered buying for my family. Junk cereals never ever entered my house. GAG! The problem, in my opinion, is not so much that the ads are geared to kids (which they most certainly are!) but the fact that the parents run out and buy that stuff because their kids ask for it. Honestly, (and this is probably a topic for a whole nuther discussion :rolleyes: ) when did parents lose control?? When I was little I didn't have that kind of power over my parents. Why are today's parents so ready to get their kids anything they ask for, even if it is not a good choice? I imagine part of it is that they have also lost control of their own ability to make good choices. I may be showing my age here, but I have to say that things were better way back when..... :rolleyes:

[AbbyMom]

Headaches !!!!! Sometimes migraines. In my experience. And what people usually complain of is thirst.
I know of a lot of people who don't eat anything at all with MSG in it.
Wom

Yuppers. Huby gets migraines from anything with MSG in it. Have to read the labels on everything.

[wombat2u2004]

Yes I agree that television is filled with commercials for foods that I would have never considered buying for my family. Junk cereals never ever entered my house. GAG! The problem, in my opinion, is not so much that the ads are geared to kids (which they most certainly are!) but the fact that the parents run out and buy that stuff because their kids ask for it. Honestly, (and this is probably a topic for a whole nuther discussion :rolleyes: ) when did parents lose control?? When I was little I didn't have that kind of power over my parents. Why are today's parents so ready to get their kids anything they ask for, even if it is not a good choice? I imagine part of it is that they have also lost control of their own ability to make good choices. I may be showing my age here, but I have to say that things were better way back when..... :rolleyes:

Yes....I do agree that things were much better way back when Pam.
As for parents losing control.....well I have my very own opinion about that, and that is that the world and society are more affluent than they used to be. Money doesn't seem to have the value to people now as it used to have.
If parents have a problem with their children, the first thing they do is throw money at that problem....it's quick and easy and available, and solves the problem in the short term.
In my day, my parents never had the money to throw at us. (And even if they did, there were 6 of us.....that would have been a real rumble !!!! :D )
Wom

[Pam]

Yes....I do agree that things were much better way back when Pam.
As for parents losing control.....well I have my very own opinion about that, and that is that the world and society are more affluent than they used to be. Money doesn't seem to have the value to people now as it used to have.
If parents have a problem with their children, the first thing they do is throw money at that problem....it's quick and easy and available, and solves the problem in the short term.
In my day, my parents never had the money to throw at us. (And even if they did, there were 6 of us.....that would have been a real rumble !!!! :D )
Wom

Right on the mark Wom! I agree with every word. I have watched parents in stores give in to their three and four year old children without offering any resistance at all. These are then the same parents, when called into school a few years later because of their child's behavior problems, who will side with the child against the teacher. What kind of adult does that make? :( :rolleyes: (My I have really taken this thread off topic. :o )

[popcornbird]

MSG isn't harmful to people- that is actually a myth! There have been numerous studies that show it isn't a health risk at all- though a small percentage of people may experience temporary symptoms from large amounts, but it doesn't require medical care.

http://www.hawaii.edu/ur/University_Report/URMay/MSG.html

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/monosodium-glutamate/AN01251

It is no myth. MSG DOES have a negative effect on many people. There was a time when my mom used to use MSG in her cooking. My dad experienced severe swelling in the neck area, and was having a hard time breathing. After going to the doctor many times, and finding nothing, the doctor asked my dad, "Do you have any MSG intake?" He basically told my dad to stop eating anything with MSG. All MSG bottles were removed from our shelves, and we stopped buying anything containing MSG. The results? My dad's swelling vanished completely, thank God! I also noticed I was no longer feeling 'dizzy', a complaint I often had in my childhood/early teens.

Till today, anytime my dad 'accidently' eats something containing MSG, the swelling returns. Whenever I eat Chinese food containing MSG (and I notice this EVERY TIME I return from the Chinese restaurant), I feel incredibly dizzy and have to lie down. My husband also gets dizzy after eating MSG. My mom says eating anything with MSG causes her migraines. Whatever be the case, it has affected most of my family in a negative way, and has been confirmed by our 'tests', and also by what the doctors have told us. We avoid MSG at all costs. My dad will not touch it, at all. I still eat Chinese food or Doritos 'occasionally', but the dizziness it causes is not pleasant, at all. It is also recommended that women during the child-bearing years should avoid MSG. I don't know how much of a fact it is, but I KNOW MSG hurts me, have been there, done that, and will always avoid it no matter what.

As for coke, regardless of whether all this is a myth or not, coke, pepsi, dr. pepper, etc. have always, and will always remain my most despised drink, and the drink I will ALWAYS avoid when there are other options available. Coke, pepsi, and Dr. Pepper all taste like nasty cough syrup to me, only a whole glass full instead of just a spoon. 7up's carbonated bubbles drive me crazy. Orange soda is 'ok' when it comes to sodas, but again, I hate the carbonation. The only soda that I find 'acceptable' to drink is cream soda, and its nice to make a float with, but putting some ice cream in the glass. :D

Give me water any day.