No usual grocery list is complete without an inclusion of a single canned good. But before you pick another can of your favorite soup, have you asked yourself how healthy processed foods are? Are these canned goods also good for you?
A study published in the journal Environmental Research names the worst canned goods that expose consumers the most to chemical Bisphenol A or BPA. As per CBS Philly, BPA is commercially used to serve as inside lining of cans which prevents the can's possible metal corrosion, and preserve the canned good itself.
CBS Philly explained how the study team concluded that eating canned goods may lead to contamination, and that there are types of canned goods far worse than the others. Using the information from 7,669 people, ages 6 and above in the U.S. from 2003 to 2008, the researchers were able to draw their analysis and establish that there is a clear link between canned goods and BPA concentration.
They looked at the food each person ate for 24 hours and measured the BPA concentration in each person's urine on the same day. The researchers found that those who ate one canned good each day had a 24 percent higher BPA concentration in their urine than those who did not eat any canned good at all. There was a 54 percent BPA concentration for those who ate two or more canned goods.
The study team did not stop from evaluating the data. They looked in further at the type of canned goods their test subjects ate.
Much to their surprise, a 229 percent increase in BPA concentration was found in the urine of those who ate canned soup compared to those who did not have any. Canned soup is followed by canned pasta which has a 70 percent higher BPA concentration and canned vegetables or fruits with a 41 percent spike in BPA concentrations (via CBS Philly).
According to Web MD, BPA has been used as a plastic hardener for over forty years in medical devices, compact discs, dental sealants, water bottles, lining of canned goods and drinks, and other commercial products. Humans can be exposed to BPA through air, dust, water and food intake which makes it safe to claim that more than 90 percent of people have BPA in their bodies.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) stresses that people's exposure to BPA are maintained at a low, safe level. Although the FDA does recognize that BPA exposure may affect the brain, behavior, and prostate glands of fetuses, infants and kids as well (via Web MD).
BPA exposure can disrupt development of fetuses, babies, and children, affecting their brain and behavior. It also poses increased risk for cancer, heart problems, obesity, diabetes, ADHD, and other medical conditions (via Web MD).
As per FDA's official site, the government agency maintains that the current exposure of humans to BPA is safe. Nonetheless, it still needs to study more about BPA and its health risks on humans. They would still need to consult with federal government agencies namely the National Institutes of Health, Environmental Protection Agency, Consumer Product Safety Commission, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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