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SODIUM
INSOFT DRINKS
ll soft drink products of
Coca-cola USA are whole-
drink bottling plant water found
some beverages produced in
that most local water supplies
contain less than four milligrams
compliance with state and
federal food laws and
of sodium per six-fluid ounces
regulations.
The amount of sodium in
Coca-cola USA soft drinks is
"Soda water" and "soda pop"
negligible when compared to
are expressions long used by con-
many other sources of sodium in
sumers to describe carbonated
the diet. For example, a six-fluid
soft drinks. But despite these
ounce serving of tomato juice
processed with added salt has
familiar names, soft drinks actual- 660 milligrams of sodium, while
ly contribute very little "soda"-
the same size serving of diet Coke
or sodium-to the average diet. In has 35 milligrams or less
fact, the majority of the soft drink
products of Coca-cola USA have
Many people confuse sodium
with common table salt. The two
less than 35 milligrams of sodium are not the same. Sodium is an
per serving-allowing them to be element, the sixth most common
classified by the Food and Drug
Administration as "very low
on earth; table salt-or sodium
sodium" foods.
chloride-is one of its compounds.
The sodium present in soft
Table salt contains 40 percent
sodium and is one of many
drinks comes from small amounts sodium sources in the diet.
of sodium in the ingredients and
Sodium, in the form of salt
from the local water used to make and other sodium compounds, is
the beverage.
Although potassium
added during the chemical pro-
compounds are often used as
cessing of food for safety, quality
substitutes, four basic sodium
and taste enhancement. The rest
is provided by salt added in cook-
compounds may be used in
preparing soft drink syrups
ing or at the table, and from
These include sodium benzoate,
sodium occurring naturally in
foods and water.
a food preservative; sodium
chloride, or salt, for flavoring;
Sodium is an essential
sodium citrate, an acidity buffer;
nutrient in human physiology. In
humans, sodium helps regulate
and the sweetener sodium sac-
charin. Each plays an important
water in the body by controlling
role in creating the flavor profile
the transfer of water and other
nutrients across cell membranes.
for the soft drinks in which it is
It also helps maintain blood
used. The syrup is then combined
pressure and volume, transmit
with carbonated water to create
the final soft drink product.
nerve impulses and support the
activity of certain enzyme
The amount of sodium con-
systems.
tributed by the local water supply
Because of its ubiquitous
where the finished beverages are
produced can vary seasonally and
nature, it can be found every-
by locale. According to a 1975
where in the food supply. This
is because the plants and animals
survey by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, sodium con-
that make up our food supply
also use sodium for their life
tent in U.S. fresh water ranges
from traces to 402 milligrams per
process.
liter (0-71 milligrams per six-fluid
Although sodium is essential
to life, medical experts suspect
ounces). But a 1982 survey of soft that, in addition to genetic sus-
(over)
Source: https://www.industrydocuments.ucsf.edu/docs/mtyj0226

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