Your Favorite Canned Food Might Contain a Harmful Chemical
If you're an avid fan of canned foods, you'll be surprised to discover that 10 percent of all canned food products have harmful chemical content.
Such a chemical is known as bisphenol A or BPA. The National Geographic said BPA is an "endocrine-disrupting compound," which means it can act like a hormone and can have an adverse effect on the body.
According to nonprofit, The Endocrine Disruption Exchange senior scientist Johanna Rochester, "What's kind of disturbing about this" is, hormones control almost everything in the human body. Meaning, you, who cannot seem to survive a meal without canned food, should try your best to avoid it at any cost.
While most people assume that they need to be exposed to high toxic chemical amounts to be affected, for BPA, experts say, it is simply not the case.
Reports show that 10 percent of all canned food products have harmful chemical content.
How Harmful is BPA?
As Saint Francis University exposure scientist and researcher Samantha Radford explained, endocrine disruptors such as BPA can actually be more poisonous at low levels due to how "they interact with receptors in the body."
Consequently, she added, even very low BPA concentrations can be harmful. So, to avoid BPA, the exposure scientist recommends trying to avoid the purchase of canned food products.
You're probably wondering how you'd know if the can of green beans you bought from the grocery store has BPA content. According to Eco-Watch, you should "look out for BPA-free packaging."
It is also worthy to note, though, that there are no government guidelines in terms of labeling, and even the cans that claim they contain BPA-free products may still carry traces.
Therefore, the best way to really prevent it is to stop purchasing canned foods altogether, particularly canned tomatoes.
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Glass Container, Instead of Can
Health expert Sara O'Leary advises, "If you are only going to worry about BPA with a single thing," put emphasis on tomatoes.
O'Leary, a Whole Food Market healthy eating specialist, and registered dietitian, also said, because of their "high acidity, they encourage the leaching of BPA into the food."
While it may take time to get used to, and eventually, may even be costly, opting to buy fresh food is simple, the expert said. She also said some items like tomato sauces could be bought in glass containers, too.
If you prefer buying in bulk, O'Leary advised doing so, then keeping them in the freezer for when it is next needed. By doing so, you are most likely not to notice the food is BPA-free, but it is typically more flavorful, as well.
Previous Reports on Food with BPA
In 2017, the CBS News reported, The Centers for Environment Health tested over 250 cans bought at grocery and dollar stores for BPA.
As a result, researchers discovered 40 percent of the cans had BPA content. Although it was lower than the 67-percent finding from two years ago, the report said, the number still concerned some experts.
The Center for Environmental Health's Charles Margulis said the figure was still much high, and there was a need to "get it down to zero."
The US Food and Drug Administration, on the other hand, said BPA was safe at the current levels occurring in food. However, at that time, the state of California added BPA to its "Proposition 65 list" as a chemical known to lead to "reproductive toxicity."
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Nov 06, 2020 08:00 AM EST
