I just found this post (hat tip to Stephanie) by My Busy Children with her checklist for chemicals at the grocery store. That’s the most succinct list of foods to avoid and why that I have come across, and I couldn’t wait till Saturday and chance that it gets overlooked among the other Links and Shout Outs. So here it is. Please read it. And feel free to discuss.
UPDATE: I have included some links in the comment section to articles about the dangers of BPA in canned foods. It seems that while the focus in the news has been on the dangers of BPA in plastic baby bottles and other containers, the latest research shows that the biggest exposure to BPA comes from food (namely canned foods), and children are at the highest risk. I have recently stopped buying canned fruits and veggies for our family for this reason, and I cut out canned soups last fall when I started cutting out highly processed foods.
Found your post from the Diaper Diaries. Thanks for the checklist! I think a lot of people need to read it!
Don’t by anything in cans? Whaaaaat? Is this new? I’m a little confused.
Yep, cans are lined with PBA, and tomatoes are the worst, evidently, b/c they absorb it more easily. I can’t remember why, exactly. Bad news.
I think it has to do with the acidity of the tomatoes. And I think you mean BPA, not PBA.
Oh good grief. LOL. You know, I thought it looked weird when I wrote it, and I kept looking at it… D’oh.
Here is a source on PBA that seems pretty legit. http://www.emaxhealth.com/1506/75/34335/consumer-reports-finds-bpa-common-canned-foods.html
Here are two more.
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/greenhouse/post/2010/01/fed-up-with-bpa-heres-how-to-ban-plastic-from-your-home/1
http://www.usnews.com/health/articles/2008/04/18/controversial-plastic-chemical-is-in-canned-food-too.html
This is the only way I know to leave you a message. Michael Pollan is coming to the college I work at next week. I know he has written several books….if you could only read one which one would you recommend? In Defense of Food or Food Rules
Hi Kim. I think Food Rules is a quick read, but I haven’t seen it. In Defense is great, and so is Omnivore’s Dilemma. You can’t go wrong with any of them; I don’t think I could pick a fave. I’m so jealous that you get to hear him speak!
Dear Jo-Lynne:
thank you for linking to my post. I thought for a long time that only cans with visible plastic lining are dangerous. It appears, that all the cans have BPA, no matter if you can see the plastic or not.
Soda cans are included:
http://www.rodale.com/bpa-soda-and-food-cans?page=0%2C0&cm_mmc=DailyNewsNL-_-2009_06_09-_-Top5-_-NA
Okay, now i have a big problem. I used canned tomatoes to make my own sauce! Anyone know if there are canned/bottled/magically packaged tomatoes without BPA?
Yvonne: regarding tomatoe Sauce – you can find Pomi tomatoes in carton packaging. They have those in Whole foods, and I even saw those red Pomi boxes in Publix. Also, bionaturae packages strained tomatoes in glass bottles
thank you! I am also checking out the attached site for more info.
http://thesoftlandingbaby.com/2010/03/15/bpa-free-canned-food-options/
Yes, I have the Pomi in my cupboard right now (I was wondering if that packaging is safe; I assume it is?) and I have bought the Bionaturae in glass too.
Darn. We’re making progress in eating better food, but canned black beans are a major staple. I guess I could start looking into dry beans and making my own. But probably not right now, just way too much going on.
I know; I rely heavily on canned tomatoes, and the ones in the glass are strained, not diced or whole. It’s a pain. I did switch to dry beans, but again, a pain to think ahead. *sigh*
It should NOT be this difficult.
I read that Eden started making beans in BPA free containers. But then again I read an article that even cans marked “BPA free” contain BPA. Where is the truth?
Marina (and Nicole) – This looks pretty reliable. I don’t think they would post this if it weren’t true.
http://www.edenfoods.com/about/environment.php
Sorry, here is the part on BPA…
http://www.edenfoods.com/articles/view.php?articles_id=178
Thank you, looks like their beans are safe. their tomatos still have BPA though
Really? Dang. I didn’t see that. Oh well, at least there are the tomatoes in jars.
I’m with Nicole. We use a TON of canned black beans around here. Ate some last night. Why can’t they just make things safe for us? I don’t understand… Ugh. Thanks for the link! I think… ; )
Any suggestions on what to do for tomatoes for those who do not have Whole Foods or other source for the safe 2 brands listed? Another question: are the bags that shredded cheese cone in safe (I don’t see any recycle codes on them that I know of)?
Hi JT. I really don’t know. I got the kind in a box from Redners, which is NOT a high-end grocery store so I think you should be able to find something at a regular store. Check the organic section?
I don’t know about the plastic bags the cheese comes in, but I buy it in blocks and shred it myself because I don’t like the preservatives they put in it. Plus it tastes better.
But of course, blocks of cheese also come wrapped in plastic. And then there are the plastic milk jugs. *Sigh*
JT: I saw Pomi in Publix. As for the bags, they are all supposed to be polypropylene (Plastic #5, safe) . But there is no way to make sure
i had no idea. thanks so much.
THanks for this. I just discovered your great section regarding healthier shopping/feeding of your family. I am in this transition and happy to find other like-minded moms. Awesome. Keep up the good work and info!
Wow. That cuts out 90% of what I can afford right there.
That was such a helpful post, wasn’t it? I think I need to print it out and bring it with me to the grocery store. Really.
We have also stopped buying canned goods. Fresh is better. Period.
If you have a Trader Joe’s near you, they have a store brand version of tomatoes in the tetra packs too. Just a thought…
Jo-Lynne: Thank you for publishing a link to my post on your resources page, I am honored!