The chemical BPA (bisphenol A) is in plastic food storage containers, the liners of metal food cans, water bottles and toys. Exposure has been linked to breast and prostate cancer, infertility, early puberty in girls, obesity and more. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 93 percent of all Americans have detectable levels of this ubiquitous chemical in our bodies.
The latest on the BPA front comes from a small study in California involving only five families. Before the study, all had habitually eaten meals prepared outside the home, including canned foods and sodas and frozen dinners. They all microwaved foods in plastic containers.
For the study, the families switched to a diet of fresh organic meals and snacks delivered by a caterer and stored in glass and stainless steel containers. Urine samples taken at the study’s beginning and end showed that BPA levels dropped by more than 60 percent, on average, in only three days.
