Last weekend a friend asked me about beans and whether I only buy them uncooked and cook them myself, or if I buy canned.  Well, surprisingly, I think I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve cooked them from scratch, just because I find the canned ones such a timesaver.  However, I make sure not to buy just any canned products as not all are equal!  So for today’s Nutrition Tip Tuesday, I thought I’d shed some light on canned foods, BPA and why you should watch which products you’re purchasing.

What is BPA?

BPA is a chemical that has been used for decades in plastics and as a coating of the inside of metal products, like cans.   There is quite a bit of research that shows that small amounts of the BPA can seep into food from the container (which to me makes sense!).  A study conducted by Harvard showed that eating a serving of canned soup was enough to spike blood BPA levels by 1200%!

Why Avoid BPA:

So, why is this an issue? BPA tends to have the worst risks for developing fetuses, babies and younger children, however as BPA is a hormone disruptor, it has been linked to the following health issues in adults:

• Reduced testosterone (and in turn sperm count) in males
• Reduced female egg production
• Tooth decay
• Heart disease
• Brain function (particularly for a developing baby if pregnant mother has high BPA levels)
• Asthma

What To Buy:

In North America, for canned products, I highly recommend you buy Eden Organics, or look for an equivalent brand that states “ BPA free”.  Eden Organics is in all the mainstream grocery stores these days, either in the regular canned food section or the organic section.