Why You Should Eliminate Canned Tomatoes From Your Diet

There’s a big problem with canned tomatoes. Huge. I haven’t bought or used a single can for many years. Let’s get into why it is such a big problem. Any type of fruit or vegetable that is packaged in a can has a lining inside that is most likely a chemical called BPA. We have all heard about BPA at least once or twice in the last few years since consumers have come out full blast on its implications on their health. According to the NIH, Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical produced in large quantities for use primarily in the production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. Children are most susceptible to the effects of BPA chemicals. I’ve listed just a few of the detected health problems resulting from 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

What makes it so much worse for tomatoes you ask? The fact that tomatoes are so acidic, they leak a lot more of the chemicals in the lining of the cans. BPA exposure is so widespread because we use a lot of products that contain it. It is mainly used in plastics, and if we look around us, most of our food packaging contains some form of plastic. Unfortunately, the levels are so high that it is damaging our children first and foremost, and then us. Please, steer clear of any plastics for your children or for yourselves, and try as much as you can to buy your products in anything but CANS.

But I buy my tomato sauce in BPA free cans you say. Here’s the thing, they have replaced BPA with another compound called BPS. What is it you might ask? According to Greenmedinfo:
“The problem is that BPS is less well-known and researched than BPA for its potential adverse effects, and while regulators wait for manufacturers who promote their products with “BPA-Free!” stickers at the same moment that they infuse them with BPS to voluntarily reformulate, there is evidence now that BPS may actually have worse effects to environmental and human health, alike. BPS’ relative inability to biodegrade indicates: 1) once it is absorbed into the human body, it may accumulate there for longer periods of time; 2) it is more likely to persist in the environment, making external exposures to it, and its many metabolites, much more likely than the faster degrading BPA. In other words, its potential to do harm will worsen along the axis of time, not lessen, which is a common argument made for the purported “safety” of BPA.”

SOLUTION. We will never get what we want from the FDA or food producers, because quite frankly they only want to make money. The best option for you and your family is to buy organic tomato sauce and paste in GLASS containers. Not only are they healthier and safer, but you can be sure that you’re feeding your family the best thing out there. Here are my favorite products-
Tomato Sauce:

I have tried many different tomato sauce brands, and this by far is the best one. Simple, to the point, without any added flavors and spices, it works great in any kind of dish you need tomato sauce in. Also, Whole Foods has them on sale about once a month, so keep out an for them and buy in bulk. They can be pricy to purchase, but with the sale they are manageable to buy on a budget.

Tomato Paste:

I use this brand from whole foods and love it. It is not very expensive, and I find it a fair price for giving my family all the goodness without any added leaky chemicals.

These products, as well as other brands can be ordered online if you do not have access to Whole Foods near you. Many online stores will also ship with a minimum purchase.

Sources:
http://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/sya-bpa/
http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/consumer-alert-bpa-free-goods-still-contain-toxic-bisphenol