BPA doesn’t have anything to do with out-of-control eating or weight loss, but it can make you, your kids, and your fetus sick. BPA is the acronym for Bisphenol-A. It’s a plastic component that’s used in many plastic bottles and containers. It’s also in the epoxy resin that lines most cans. Manufacturers use BPA-type products because they prevent spoilage, they’re resistant to corrosion, and they can withstand the high heats used in sterilization. There is no law against using BPA, so you have to think for yourself on this one.

That said, the government’s National Toxicology Program has a concern about the effect of BPA on fetuses, children and pregnant women. Some studies suggest that BPA might impact brain development, cause hyperactivity in kids and increase the risk of breast cancer (as well as other health problems). I wonder, personally, if BPA could explain the explosion in the incidences of autism that we’re seeing in our country.

BPA has already been removed from most baby bottles, sippy cups and pacifiers, but it’s still present in cans (incuding, of all things, baby formula cans) and in other plastic containers, bottles and toys. The problem with BPA is that it leaches into the food or the drink, which means that BPA is being regularly ingested and stored in the body. Plastic with BPA is especially dangerous when heated because this inceases the likelihood of leaching. BPA mimics the effect of estrogen, a hormone, and it disrupts and interferes with normal homonal functions.

The January/February 2012 Nutrition Action Letter summarized a study where researchers fed 12 ounces of canned soup (Progresso) to one group and 12 ounces of fresh soup to another group. All-in-all, 75 people had soup for lunch every day for five days. The results. Several hours after lunch, the people who ate the canned soup had BPA levels in their urine that were 12 times higher than the people who had fresh soup. Researchers don’t really know how much BPA is harmful, but small amounts have been show to cause breast cancer in animals.

The safest bet is to stop feeding infants formula that comes in a can, and to consider cutting way, way back on the amount of soup or canned foods you give your kids for lunch everyday. In general, look for bottles and cans that are clearly marked BPA-free. Eden Organic, for example, uses BPA-free cans for most of their products. Avoid polycarbonate (PC) bottles that have a #7 or #3 recycling code. Note that acidic foods like tomatoes, can’t be packaged in BPA-free cans, but there are brands that use cartons, like Pomi. For heating, always Use glass or ceramic products. Never use any kind of plastic or plastic wrap in a microwave.

Tagged BPA, BPA-free, brain retardation, Canned Soups, hyperactivity, Nutrition Action Health Letter

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