Soft Drink Is Bad For You

I am a fairly health conscious person and soft drink rings massive alarm bells to someone like me.  I wont even go there on the sugar free drinks made with chemical sweeteners.  Apart from the massive sugar levels, natural or fake (they are both bad for you in their own ways), soft drinks also have many other colours and preservatives in them.

The only soft drink that I do lend myself to is lemon squash (I wont breech into Coke territory, that's just too scary).  I had a look at the label of a lemon squash bottle;  it claims to have 5% lemon juice.  Well that's not too bad really.   Though the other ingredients are a little alarming.

First came food acid 330 aka Citric Acid - This is basically an acid found in most food sources, especially found in citrus fruits.  So why it needs to be added to lemon quash is beyond me.  However it is usually produced  from corn and during production manufacturers don't always take out the protein which can be hydrolyzed and create MSG (621) causing reactions in MSG sensitive people.

Next Preservative 211 aka Sodium Benzoate - The sodium salt of benzoic acid, sodium benzoate fulfils an antibacterial and antifungal role, and to disguise taste, as of poor-quality food; orange diet soft drinks contain a high amount of it, up to 25mg per 250ml; also in milk and meat products, relishes and condiments, baked goods and lollies, tooth pastes, mouth washes, maple syrup and margarine; used in many oral medications including Actifed, Phenergan and Tylenol; known to causes nettle rash and aggravate asthma. Suspected to be a neurotoxic hazard. YUK

Then there is Colour 104 aka Quinoline Yellow - D&C Yellow No:10. A synthetic 'coal tar' dye, prepared by sulfonating 2-(2-quinolyl) indan-1,3-dione, and the product is essentially sodium salts of a mixture of disulfonates, monosulfonates and trisulfonates of the dione. The calcium and potassium salts may also be permitted. Quinoline Yellow is used to give a yellow to greenish yellow colour. Typical products include ice lollies, scotch eggs, smoked fish; used in lipsticks hair products, colognes; also in a wide range of medications. It may cause asthma, rashes and hyperactivity. Aspirin sensitive people must avoid it.
Banned in Australia, Japan, USA and Norway. (Aparantly this is banned in Australia, however it is listed on the back of a bottle of Lemon Squash purchased at Coles in Melbourne.  Interesting)

Lovely Home Made Lemon Sqash 

1.25 litres of carbonated natural mineral water

Juice of 2-3 lemons with pulp

50-100ml sugar syrup

4-5 Mint Leaves chopped fine

Firstly to make sugar syrup (this is so simple and only takes a moment).  Make as much as you like, basic rule with sugar syrup is 1:1 ratio of water and sugar.

I measured out 100grs castor sugar and added 100ml of water.  Swirl or stir gently over very low heat until the sugar has dissolved.  Then leave on the heat for just a moment or two longer to ensure the sugar crystals have all dissolved.  Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.  Voila you have sugar syrup.

  

Simply open your bottle of mineral water and pour out a large glass.  Pour the lemon juice into your bottle (take care here as it can froth up and over the top of the bottle.  I usually just do this over a bowl so that I can catch the liquid and pour it back in.  Good idea to wash the outside of the bottle before you start).

Then add the sugar syrup to taste.  Everyone likes different levels of sweetness.  I personally usually add about 40-60ml sugar syrup.

If your bottle is not full pour back in some of the mineral water that you have in the glass.  Lastly add the finely chopped mint leaves.  Now you have nasty free and absolutley refreshing soft drink full of vitamin C, A and bioflavnoids aka vitamin P.

Serve on Ice.