Quote:
Originally Posted by Pattience
I don't know the ultimate truth on it, but BPA's in canned food are something worth considering. I had a link that explained it all well the other day. Was going to post it but didn't get around to it.
Anyone contemplating eating lots of canned food should probably read a few articles about BPA. Its a chemical thing given off by the lining of the can.
If you're worried about exposure to BPAs and other xenoestrogens, the first and foremost thing to eliminate would be all food-touching plastics from plastic wrap to plastic storage and serving containers.
While bpa is only present in some plastics, there are many other chemicals in plastics, and we don't yet know the effects of all those other components.
I'm more trusting of the FDA and more skeptical of food safety scares than most people. When there's a new food safety scare, I do my homework and read the research articles or at least the abstracts of pertinent research.
So the evidence has to be strong for me to be concerned and even stronger to spur me into action.
All that being said, as a woman with hormone issues, approaching menopause, a little extra estrogens might not be such a bad thing, but even so, I have made changes to reduce BPA and other synthetic exposure, but I'm far less concerned with can liners as other food storage. The biggest risk being microwaving food in any type of plastic container.
I try to keep plastic out of the microwave (even plastic wrap that isn't touching the food directly), I've replaced most of my plastic storage containers with glass. I only use plastic for drygoods like flour, rice, and such. Eventually, as my budget allows, I will be swapping those out for glass as well.
Avoiding cans with BPAs in their liners while still using plastic containers and plastic wrap is like trying to discourage burglers by locking a window while leaving the doors unlocked and wide open.
I pick my battles based on a factual research-based assessment of the risk. Bigger risks get eliminated before smaller risks, which is why I've replaced plastic containers with glass but eat canned food - why I use artificial sweeteners in moderation, but do not use dryer sheets, carpet fresheners, or strong cleansers - and why I rarely wear cosmetics and fragrances, and am very picky about those I choose.