Sodium Benzoate and weight gain (body mass index, doctors, carbohydrates, pounds)

[TheDragonslayer]

About six months ago, I read an article or two on sodium benzoate and potassium benzoate ( preservatives ) and their relationship to increased body mass index. I checked the labels of the soft drinks that I drink and was shocked to see it in nearly every soda and energy drink on the shelf. Even though I like sodas very much, I decided to quit drinking them about four months ago. This is after having tried dieting many times over the years with the only results being that I would gain a few more pounds with the pounds I gained back. But my waist size after 36 threatened to keep up with my age and by the time I hit 44 so did my waist. I tried cutting portions and drinking diet soda, but I eventually got the hungry's and the weight would come right back on. Now that I have stopped consuming soft drinks and other food items with sodium or potassium benzoate as an ingredient, the weight has been dropping at a steady rate and I am now down 30 pounds. I am eating much the same as I was before the sodas and have replaced the soft drinks with iced tea sweetened with sugar, juices and plenty of water. I do miss Barq's rootbeer though

[darrell05]

read your article about the food perservatives and your loss and gain of weight. You also may want to check out how much glucose you have in your blood. I have a story behind what I am saying but to just cut to the chase and get down to all the hype about diets lets say this, if your going to loose weight and keep it off this stuff about "eat what you want and still loose weight" is only for tickling the ears of people who don't know any better and don't research things. From what I have seen so far it is all about how much glucose is in your blood at any one time. I have read that actually what you want your level to be is between 83 to 86mg. Anything above that and the pancrease is putting out insuline to brake down the glucose(simple and complex carbohydrates) on a round-the-clock basis. The closer you can keep your glucose level to 83-86 and the less spikes(sudden extreme high levels of glucose) it is said you lengthen your life. To go further, have you heard of the glycemic index? This is the rate or time it takes for carbohydrates to break down in the bloodstream. To look for a longer/healthier life and pancrease you want to consume foods (low) glycemic index. This means eating foods that are fiborous or hard for the body to break down. This slowing down means a (slow release) of glucose in the blood stream which means you will have less glocose in the blood which means that your pancrease will put out a chemical to cause your body to begin using fat that was stored under the skin for energy. If you keep a lot of glucose in the blood your body will seldom get the chance to use that fat stored under the skin so that you can loose weight. By the way, you may ask where that fat came from? Any excess glucose in the blood not burned for energy the body stores under the skin as a reserve. That is where your weight gain comes from. But all these diets are not going to tell you that. They want you to believe that you can really eat what you want regardless wether you watch the portions or not. One thing is true is that eating to much does have something to do with it. But to much glocose in the blood is where that weight comes from. If you like all the world has to offer or tastes good you will have a weight problem and all the dieting in the world will not take that weight off. I will say one thing though before I let off here, "I know there are those of you out there where you have a matabolism like a locomotive and that is fine". But lets be realistic. 95-98% of us are not heathy and our doctors offices packed proves it. Most everybody eats what they want and their bodies are billboards to advertise it. Before I go, if your like most I talk to, you will "blow what I say off" and say he doesn't know what he is talking about because in reality people won't receive the truth. They would rather believe the lies that these manufacturers are saying. Buy our product and/or our equipment and we will make you slim. You know what? If your in your 20s and your body is healthy enough to take the abuse you put it thru, you will get away with the lack of discipline and believing the lies for "awhile". In the long run in 10 or 15 years your going to pay the price for "doing what you want". Everything has a price. Pay now or pay later. Starting in your mid 40s the truth will come home to roost and you and the weight and the visits to the doctor will now become your future. But you still have your lies and doing what you want to keep you warm at night, right? I hope you will learn from what I have said. Because I was just like you and I am only in my mid 50s. Thanks for the space here.