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Canned Foods May Increase Your BPA Levels By 1,000 Percent
Dr. Joseph Mercola says you must avoid certain plastic water bottles, containers, and other utensils if you want to reduce your BPA exposure. However, there is another potent source of bisphenol-A, a toxic chemical, that you may not be aware of: canned foods and beverages.
New research from the Harvard School of Public Health showed the impact of consuming canned goods on your BPA level. During the study, a group of participants consumed freshly-made soup, while the other consumed canned soup for five days. After a two-day break, the soups consumed by the two groups were switched.
After collecting urine samples from the participants, the researchers found out that eating canned soup had a more significant impact on the urinary concentrations of BPA. Those who ate fresh soup averaged BPA levels of 1.1 micrograms per liter, while the canned soup group had levels of 20.8 micrograms per liter –an increase of more than 1,000 percent.
Jenny Carwile, a Doctoral student who led the study, said:
“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…” (link)
Even if the study only included canned soup, it is possible that soda and other canned goods may cause similar exposure. In fact, a series of tests by Consumer Reports two years ago also revealed that some canned foods, including soup, tuna, juice, and green beans, contain BPA. (link)
Based on their tests, Consumer Reports estimate that just a couple of servings of canned food may already exceed the safety limits for daily BPA exposure for children. It also makes no difference whether a canned good is organic or not.
How Does BPA Endanger Your Health?
A disturbing fact is that BPA is found in 90 percent of all people tested in the United States – even in the umbilical cords of babies in utero. Entire populations and generations may be suffering from this toxic exposure.
BPA mimics or interferes with the hormones in your body. It disrupts your endocrine system, which have glands that release hormones helping regulate mood, tissue function, growth and development, metabolism, sexual function, and reproductive processes. Some of the damaging effects of BPA exposure include:
- Decreased sperm quality
- Early puberty
- Stimulation of mammary gland development
- Disrupted reproductive cycles and ovarian dysfunction
- Heart disease
- Cancer
BPA is also dangerous to pregnant women and infants. It can cause chromosomal errors in a developing fetus, spontaneous miscarriage, and genetic damage.
BPA has also been linked to insulin resistance and obesity. According to a study published in Environmental Research, “higher BPA exposure is associated with general and central obesity in the general adult population of the United States.” (link)
Another study published in the Clinical Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism revealed that BPA is also linked to insulin resistance, an underlying factor in many chronic diseases. (link)
BPA Also Lurks in Cash Register Receipts and Money
A study published in Environmental Science and Technology examined paper currencies from 21 countries and discovered that all samples contained BPA. Afterwards, they placed the currency and some thermal receipt paper in a wallet. This increased the BPA concentrations in the money, suggesting that the receipts are also highly contaminated. The researchers concluded that just by handling paper currency, you could be absorbing a few nanograms of BPA daily. (link)
“It’s becoming evident that simply avoiding plastics is not nearly enough to avoid BPA, as this toxic chemical is present in places you would least expect,” says Dr. Mercola.
Dr. Mercola advises limiting or avoiding carrying receipts in your wallet or purse, because BPA can be transferred onto surfaces it touches. Dr. Mercola also recommends washing your hands after handling money and receipts. Avoid touching these items after applying lotion or any greasy substance on your hands because this can increase your exposure.
How to Avoid BPA Exposure
To avoid BPA, you should stop consuming canned foods and soda. Opt for fresh, wholesome foods that are sourced from local, organic farms. Many manufacturers have also voluntarily stepped up to remove this chemical from their products. In Canada and Europe, BPA has been banned for use in baby bottles. This is why there are many BPA-free plastics and products today.
“Make an effort to support the companies that have already removed BPA from their products, or those that offer products that never contained it (such as baby toys made from natural fabrics instead of plastic). If enough people refuse to buy BPA-containing goods, companies will have no choice but to follow suit and get this toxin out of their products,” advises Dr. Mercola.
Be careful when choosing BPA-free products, because some may still pose certain risks. A 2011 study revealed that some “BPA-free” plastics have not been tested under real world conditions, like running it through a dishwasher or heating in a microwave. Ninety-five percent of all the products tested also came up positive for estrogenic activity, meaning they can potentially disrupt your hormones. Some of the “BPA-free plastics” even leached more BPA than the non-BPA free plastics!
“It’s important to realize that you have a choice in which foods and consumer products you buy, and by exercising this choice responsibly you can help influence industry to get BPA out of their products for good, while at the same time helping reduce your, and your family’s, exposure to this dangerous chemical,” says Dr. Mercola.
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Tags: bisphenol A, bisphenol a exposure, bpa, bpa free, bpa free products, Dr. Joseph Mercola, Dr. Mercola, Joseph Mercola, mercola
