Ways to Reduce BPA Levels In Our Diet

Recent studies have finally concluded that Bisphenol-A (BPA), the chemical used to make certain plastics, is potentially dangerous to our health.  BPA mimics the body's production of estrogen and has been associated with a myriad of health issues, including cancer and sexual disfunction. 

Thanks to http://www.safemama.com/, one of my favorite mama resources, I came upon this interesting article.  Written by "the team at Breast Cancer Fund" an article shows us how to cut BPA levels in our diet by 60%.   The Breast Cancer Fund and Silent Spring Institute conducted a study, published in Environmental Health Perspectives, involving five families.  The families ate their normal diets and BPA levels were tested.  Next, the families ate 3 days of fresh, organic food prepared by the Breast Cancer Fund, which avoided BPA-lined food packages such as canned food and polycarbonate plastic.  Lastly the families returned to their original diets.  The Breast Cancer Fund tested BPA levels at each stage and concluded that BPA levels were lowered by 60-75% after eating the fresh food diet! 

Clearly, canned food with a BPA lining is dangerous.  But canned food is difficult to avoid!  How do you make a pot of chili quickly?  You reach for a can of beans!  Make a tuna sandwich?  Reach for a can of tuna! Thirsty?  Reach for a bottled water or canned juice.  Heat up some soup?  You guessed it.  And it goes on and on. There are a few companies that haven't used BPA in the lining of their cans.  Eden Organic is one of them.  Here is a direct quote from their website:

All Eden Organic Beans, Refried Beans, Chilies and Rice & Beans are cooked in steel cans coated with a baked on oleoresinous c-enamel that does not contain the endocrine disruptor chemical, bisphenol-A (BPA). Oleoresin is a non-toxic mixture of an oil and a resin extracted from various plants, such as pine or balsam fir. These cans cost 14% more than the industry standard cans that do contain BPA. The Ball Corporation tells us that Eden is the only U.S. food maker to date to use these BPA free cans and we have been since April 1999.

Find a link to 7 companies that make products that do not contain BPA here.  These cans are lined with something though, and, along with tetrapacks, it remains to be seen as to whether or not they leach harmful chemicals as well.  Another alternative is food canned in glass jars. 

The best solution, though, is to eat fresh food whenever possible.  The Breast Cancer Fund makes some useful suggestions on how to reduce BPA in our lives:

• Switch to stainless steel and glass food storage and beverage containers.
• Move foods to ceramic or glass food containers for microwaving.
• Consider a French press for coffee - home coffee makers may have polycarbonate-based water tanks and phthalate-based tubing.
• Eat out less, especially at restaurants that do not use fresh ingredients.
• Limit canned food consumption. Download our 10 Canned Foods to Avoid wallet card for your next shopping trip. And share it with people you care about.
• Choose fresh fruits and vegetables when possible, and frozen if not.
• Soak dried beans for cooking (you can make extra and freeze them)

What does this mean to mothers?  More work, of course.  There is a cost for convenience, and it is becoming greater everyday.  Eat out less!  Soak beans and freeze them!  Make soup from homemade soup stock!  A lot more work, but another good reason to slow down a bit and make fresh, whole food for your family. 

Stock photos provided by www.dreamstime.com