No Silver Lining on BPA

For the last few years my husband and I have discussed the bisphenol A (BPA) located in the lining of food cans. We only purchase and use canned tomato products and beans (seeing as four of the five of us are vegetarians) but still, it's troubled us. We've tried to distance ourselves more and more...and I have a feeling many more people will be joining us in this attempt. Why? Because a new study was just released outlining the risk associated with pregnancy and BPA...although obviously, this should be applied to everyone, not just pregnant women.

The study, title No Silver Lining, found that over 90% of cans tested contained detectable levels of BPA (which all public health experts now say have been linked to abnormal behavior, diabetes, heart disease, infertility, developmental and reproductive harm, and obesity). The study shows that "meals involving one or more cans of food can cause a pregnant woman to ingest levels of BPA that have been shown to cause health effects in developing fetuses in laboratory animal studies." And BPA has been found in newborn babies' cord blood as well as in 93% of the US population's urine (a word I never thought I'd type for Ugga Mugga).

So, what can we do? Well, as I write time and time again, eat fresh food. Eat simple, fresh food. If fresh fruits and vegetables aren't a possibility, eat frozen. And if you must consume canned goods, use the Guide to Recycling Codes shown below as a guideline as to what's safest for both you and the environment. And then, discuss this study with your friends and family. It takes a village...