I once read an article that listed foods that that experts refuse to eat. One that stuck out to me was that an endocrinologist would not eat canned tomatoes. The reason was that he knew the acidity from the tomatoes significantly increased the leaching of chemicals into the tomatoes.
The Endocrinologist Won’t Eat: Canned Tomatoes
Fredrick Vom Saal, is an endocrinologist at the University of Missouri who studies bisphenol-A. The problem: The resin linings of tin cans contain bisphenol-A, a synthetic estrogen that has been linked to ailments ranging from reproductive problems to heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Unfortunately, acidity (a prominent characteristic of tomatoes) causes BPA to leach into your food. Studies show that the BPA in most people’s body exceeds the amount that suppresses sperm production or causes chromosomal damage to the eggs of animals. “You can get 50 mcg of BPA per liter out of a tomato can, and that’s a level that is going to impact people, particularly the young,” says vom Saal. “I won’t go near canned tomatoes.”
An interesting fact. Each time I was pregnant canned tomatoes had a weird metallic taste to me. I really disliked any food that was made with canned tomatoes.
Below are the reasons that we avoid canned foods in our house.
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1. BPA in Canned Foods
Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a chemical widely used to line the inside of canned food and extend shelf life. The downside is that BPA can leach into the food.
Facts:
- 2010 – Canada declared BPA a toxic substance.
- 2012 – the FDA stopped allowing bpa in baby products.
- 2015 – California added BPA to its Proposition 65 list.
- The National Toxicology Program BPA Report shows us that more than 90 percent of people have traces of BPA chemical in their body.
2. Health concerns
BPA has been linked to health up issues such as
- Cancer
- Infertility
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Heart Disease
- Asthma
- ADD
Harmful at Small Amounts
BPA testing in canned food show that BPA is toxic at low does.
Sure we’ve all heard of concept “the dose makes the poison”. However chemicals like BPA don’t follow the linear dose-response curve that this is based on. Very low exposure can actually have different effects than high exposure.
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3. Hormone disruption
BPA is one of the Dirty Dozen Endocrine Disruptors listed by the Environmental Working Group.
BPA Is a hormone disruptor. It can affect the normal operation of our bodies. Hormones are important, they affect things like:
- Energy levels
- Sleep
- Weight issues
- Digestion
- Your Immune system
4. Nutrition
The canning process is more complex than the freezing process for frozen foods, or the shipping process for fresh foods.
Often sodium is used to “enhance flavor and texture, prevent microbial growth, and increase shelf life.”
Added sugars from syrups are also a concern.
5. Taste & Texture
The flavor and texture of canned fruits and veggies just can’t compare to fresh.
6. Easy to avoid
If you want to avoid BPA in canned foods, an easy thing to do is stop buying canned foods. Here are some ideas and options:
Canned Beans
- You can find beans sold in tetra packs at the grocery store.
- I prefer to make a big batch from scratch, and freeze them in glass jars.
Canned Fruit
- Buy fresh fruit when in season.
- Buy frozen fruit. We buy ours at Costco, it’s the cheapest I’ve found.
Canned Vegetables
- Buy fresh in season. It tastes a lot better.
- There are plenty of choices in the frozen aisle.
- You can grow your own and freeze it for later.
Canned Tomatoes
- Tomatoes come in tetra packs now. Our favorite is brand Pomi.
- You can also buy them in glass jars.
- The absolutely best option if you have the time and resources would be to grow your own to tomatoes and can them.
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Conclusion
The most common exposure to BPA is through food sources. BPA in canned foods is not something to take lightly. One of the easiest things you can do is to stop buying canned foods. It’s easy enough to do, and you get a little less chemicals in your diet.
Fresh and frozen foods are readily available and contain less toxins, and more flavor.
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