BPA and other toxins that can be found in our food and products are at levels dangerous enough to be concerned with and we need to encourage companies to ditch the chemicals and toxins in our products.

What is BPA?

• BPA is one of the most common chemicals to which we are exposed to in our everyday life. It is the building block of polycarbonate plastic (other, #7) and is also used in the manufacturing of epoxy resins for lining metal food and beverage cans.
• This coating helps to prevent canned foods from becoming tainted or spoiled by bacterial contamination; is to prevent corrosion of the can and contamination of food and beverages with dissolved metals.
• Consumer Reports’ latest tests of canned foods (soups, juice, tuna, and green beans)  found that almost all of the 19 name-brand foods tested contained some BPA. The canned organic foods tested did not always have lower BPA levels than nonorganic brands of similar foods analyzed. Chemicals were found in some products of cans that were labeled “BPA-free.
• Bisphenol A (BPA) has been associated with increased risk for cardiovascular disease, miscarriages, breast and prostate cancer, reproductive dysfunction, metabolic dysfunction and diabetes, and neurological and behavioral disorders.
• There are alternatives out there to using epoxy resin. Polyester can be used in place of BPA or as an overlay on BPA coating, reducing by 95% the amount of BPA leached into our foods. Natural oils and resins can be used as a lining, such Oleoresin which is a natural mixture of an oil and resin extracted from various plants (pine or balsam). So why aren’t we using it? I am guessing it is cost related.

Are You Unknowingly Eating BPA?

Plastic, aluminum cans and toxins for that matter are everywhere we look and I know it is not easy to avoid them. Do your best to look for plastic and aluminum can alternatives as well as non-toxic products because they do exist. You just have to look a little harder.

With all this said, there are skeptics, of course, that state human exposure to BPA is minimal and poses no health risk.

“Over four decades of extensive safety research on BPA, shows that consumer products made with BPA are safe for their intended uses and pose no known risks to human health.”  (Bishenol-A)

The chemical industry doesn’t think we should be alarmed, noting that Americans absorb quantities of BPA at safe levels and these levels are deemed safe by government standards.

However, what about all the other studies done that prove the contrary? What about the increase in cancer over the years? I guess it is just a fluke and not related to our exposure to known toxins? Right?!

The Cancer Fund is trying to ban the chemical from food and beverages.

For me and my family, it is really not worth the risk. We are exposed to countless toxins daily; from formaldehyde in our couches to phthalates in our shampoo to pesticides in our fruits and veggies.

Maybe the amount of BPA we are exposed to daily in our environment does not have a huge effect, but most probably the FDA and other agencies are not taking into consideration all the other toxins we are exposed to, and this I believe is what is putting our health in jeopardy.

In the long run, I personally believe we are better off using non-toxic products. If we were to add up all the toxins we introduced into our bodies daily, I am sure it would be a large number.

Expose your family to known toxins or try and reduce your exposure. What do you have to lose, really?

10 Tips to Help Reduce Your Exposure to BPA

1. Look for BPA-free (non-toxic) on the products you purchase.
2. Kick the aluminum can and plastic habit! Eat fresh produce. Enjoy your farmers market and pick up some nice fresh foods. You can even freeze it for later use.
3. Consider buying foods in glass jars. They are slightly more expensive, but you can reuse the jar for storage. Bonus!
4. Buy frozen fruit and veggies if you can’t get it fresh.
5. Use dried beans instead of canned. It might be a little more work, but the taste makes up for it and it is also the healthier option.
6. Cook from scratch. This way you are avoiding lots of unnecessary processed foods and waste.
7. Try to avoid using plastic for storage. If you must use plastic; avoid #7 and use #4 instead. #1 and #2 are BPA-free, but some researchers do not recommend their reuse. Invest in some nice reusable glassware (where to buy) instead.
8. Keep your plastics cool and avoid heating them in the microwave. The BPA and other chemicals have been known to leach into the foods when heated.
9. When purchasing water bottles, look for BPA-free on plastic and metal bottles. Better yet, use a glass water bottle (where to buy) or stainless steel (where to buy). Same goes for reusable coffee and tea mugs.
10. When purchasing toys consider non-toxic wooden toys (like this). If purchasing plastic toys, look for non-toxic/BPA-free.

Your body, your family and of course, the environment will thank you for the extra effort!

Sources: Breast Cancer Fund, Care2, Oregon Environment Council, Health.org, Bisphenol-A and Facts about BPA

Concerned with Toxins? Read more here:

• Are Thermal Paper Receipts Toxic?
• How to Reduce Your Child's Daily Exposure to Toxins 

Click Here to PIN IT