BPAs

Do you ever wish you didn't know something -- because ignorance is bliss? That happened to me the other day.

I imagine most of you have heard of Bisphenol A or BPA. It's been in the news quite a bit because they've discovered that the plastics it's used in leaches bad chemicals into whatever the container holds that can cause cancer. I know I shouldn't microwave in plastic and that #7 plastics shouldn't be used over (like as a water bottle).

I've taken steps to make sure I follow these rules to keep my family as safe as possible.

Then, yesterday, I found out this: Epoxy resins containing bisphenol A are used as coatings on the inside of almost all food and beverage cans.

WHAT? Really?

So, I started researching. I hit Wikipedia first. And found tidbits like this:

...the U.S. National Toxicology Program (NTP) later agreed with the panel, expressing "some concern for effects on the brain, behavior, and prostate gland in fetuses, infants, and children at current human exposures to bisphenol A," and "minimal concern for effects on the mammary gland and an earlier age for puberty for females in fetuses, infants, and children at current human exposures to bisphenol A."

And this:

A panel convened by the U.S. National Institutes of Health determined that there was "some concern" about BPA's effects on fetal and infant brain development and behavior. A 2008 report by the U.S. National Toxicology Program (NTP) later agreed with the panel, expressing "some concern for effects on the brain". In January 2010 the FDA expressed the same level of concern.

A 2007 review has concluded that BPA, like other xenoestrogens, should be considered as a player within the nervous system that can regulate or alter its functions through multiple pathways. ... A 2008 review has concluded that BPA altered long-term potentiation in the hippocampus and even nanomolar dosage could induce significant effects on memory processes.

And it also indicated that exposure to BPAs can cause these types of cancer: Breast cancer, Neuroblastoma, prostate cancer.

You'd need to read the entire article to get the full impact, but it's a little scary (Okay ... a LOT scary).

I use canned goods in my food storage area. They're convenient and they store for a REALLY long time. But what good is having it if it causes cancer, if it affects the memory processes of the brain, etc.?

BPA's are in canned veggies, canned fruit, canned meals like soups and even soda.

I found a short article about how to avoid BPAs here. It said:

Beverages appear to contain less BPA residues, while canned pasta and soups contain the highest levels.

But it really didn't give me what I wanted. Then I found this article about who does and doesn't use BPAs in their packaging. Now we're talking! I highly recommend taking a look if you're concerned.

One note that bothered me most there was this:

COCA COLA is not only defending BPA as safe but is spending millions of dollars lobbying and publicizing it's safety to prevent regulations restricting it's use.

Hmmm....

I'll be doing more research, but this really hammered home the need to buy or grow fresh fruits and veggies and can or freeze them myself.

What do you think about all this?