Saturday, February 4, 2012

Kick the Can - Natural Health

Kick the Can - Natural Health

A new study from researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) has found that a group of volunteers who consumed a serving of canned soup each day for five days had a more than 1,000% increase in urinary bisphenol A (BPA) concentrations compared with when the same individuals consumed fresh soup daily for five days. The study is one of the first to quantify BPA levels in humans after ingestion of canned foods. The findings were published in the November 23, 2011 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

“Previous studies have linked elevated BPA levels with adverse health effects. The next step was to figure out how people are getting exposed to BPA. We’ve known for a while that drinking beverages that have been stored in certain hard plastics can increase the amount of BPA in your body. This study suggests that canned foods may be an even greater concern, especially given their wide use,” said Jenny Carwile, a doctoral student in the Department of Epidemiology at HSPH and lead author of the study.

Exposure to the endocrine-disrupting chemical BPA, used in the lining of metal food and beverage cans, has been shown to interfere with reproductive development in animals and has been linked with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity in humans. In addition to the lining of food and beverage cans, BPA is also found in polycarbonate bottles (identified by the recycling number 7) and dentistry composites and sealants.

Reduce your exposure to BPA by eschewing canned food and soda in favor of fresh, organic meals. Buy staples like tomatoes for pasta sauce in glass jars or Tetra Paks, which are cartons made of paper, polyethylene and aluminum foil (the aluminum does not come into contact with the food). In addition, Eden Foods brand beans come in cans labeled "BPA Free."

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