Passionately Holistic

Why are tomatoes the worst?

Did you know canned tomatoes have the highest risk of leaching BPA? This is not to say there aren’t risks with other canned products but due to the high acidity content of tomatoes they draw out more BPA from the lining into food than most products.

What is BPA?

BPA is a widespread chemical that is used to cool the lining of cans and most plastic products.

Children are most susceptible to the effects of BPA chemicals. Below are just a few of the health effects that have been linked to BPA exposure.

• hormonal disruption
• reproductive harm
• increased risk of certain cancers
• malformation of organs in children
• risk of miscarriage
• sperm defects
• increased risk of mental disabilities in babies.

I buy “BPA Free” cans…

Consumers responded by demanding companies remove BPA so you most likely have seen “BPA free” labels. This does not mean the can (or plastic) is safe. Companies have since started replacing BPA with another chemical called “BPS – Bisphenol S” which causes similar health risks as BPA.

What should I use instead?

Obviously the safest method for consuming tomatoes is from a glass jar but if you aren’t able to can your own, or find them in your local grocery store, check out Amazon. They have a lot of boxed and glass options. Even if what you purchase isn’t organic, when it comes to tomatoes, just make sure they are not from a can!

Limit what you are able!

So many foods we eat daily are “canned” goods. If you are able, try to rinse your food before cooking. If making chili, I rinse all the beans. I don’t normally use canned green beans but if I did I would rinse them as well and add my own stock to the pan for heating. You get the idea. The goal is to eliminate or limit what BPA you are able. Our bodies are designed to rid us of exposure to chemicals however; if we are overloaded then obviously they are harder to eliminate. This causes some chemicals to be stored internally which could cause health issues.

No matter what type of food you are purchasing from your grocery store, if there is an option in a glass, GET IT! It might be a little more expensive but the reward is well worth the extra cost.