Tuesday, April 10, 2012

What's In Your Soup Can?


Remember when it was easy to go grocery shopping? We didn’t think about how processed foods affected our bodies, or that danger may be lurking in our soup cans. Or to be more precise – the lining of our soup cans. Nearly all canned foods contain BPA in the interior lining.

 What is BPA anyway? BPA is Bisphenol A, a chemical that is primarily used to make certain plastics and epoxy resins; particularly polycarbonate plastics. BPA is often used in containers that store food and beverages, such as water bottles, baby bottles and reusable cups. Epoxy resins can be used to line metal food and beverage cans, water supply lines and even dental tools. Research has shown that trace amounts can be found in the food and beverages from these containers.


Some research has shown that BPA can seep into food or beverages from containers that are made with BPA or into your body when you handle products made with BPA. BPA remains controversial, and research studies are continuing. The American Chemistry Council, an association that represents plastics manufacturers, contends that BPA poses no risk to human health. However, research from the Harvard School of Public health revealed that people who consumed one serving of canned soup daily for five days, had levels of PBA more than 1000% higher than those in people who ate the same amount of fresh soup.

Although the FDA considers the levels of BPA in cans within the range they consider safe, Canada has banned the use of BPA. The primary health concerns center on BPA's potential effects as an endocrine disrupter, which can mimic or interfere with the body's natural hormones and potentially damage development, especially of young children. BPA can also raise the risk of other health conditions including heart disease, obesity, cancers and reproductive problems.

To limit your exposure
·         Use BPA free containers, reusable water bottles, and opt for fresh or frozen produce when possible.
·         Microwave cautiously. The National Toxicology Program advises against microwaving polycarbonate plastics, although the American Chemistry Council says this is safe. The plastics can break down over time, possibly causing BPA to leach into food.

Some companies are working to eliminate BPA from their products. Some, like Eden Organ, use cans with BPA-free liners. Other, including Pacific Natural Foods, Dr. McDougall’s Right Foods, and Lucini Italia, had switched from metal cans to glass jars, soft pouches, or paper cartons. CamelBak, maker of water bottles, is offering BPA free products and also Medela, a maker of baby bottles and breast pumps.




How to tell if your plastic is BPA free.

Where to buy BPA dishes for kids.

5 comments:

Cait the Arty Runnerchick said...

thanks for the info and rundown on soup...it can be such a quick, easy, and healthy meal IF you buy informed...as with most things. :) thanks for sharing!

Tasha Malcolm said...

I don't like buying my soup out of a can because it always has a funny "after taste" to me. Yuck.

Norma said...

I haven't eaten canned soup in several years but that is because of the utterly awful ingredients in it more than concerns about BPA. However, knowing about it as I do now, avoiding canned soup (beans as well...I just buy dried ones) is a win-win and I won't eat it again (until the zombie apocalypse, of course, when that's all there is in my underground bunker).

Kristen (swanky dietitian) said...

Great post!
Can foods are the one thing I still tend to use, so I need to try and limit that.
So glad to be on sweat pink with ya! :)

jillconyers said...

Great info. Thanks!

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