However, bottles and sippy cups aside BPA may still be lurking in your pantry. Recently, there was a study that revealed high levels of BPA can be found in everything from liquid infant formula to cans of tuna to canned soups.
BPA, which is short for the chemical Bisphenol A, has been used for years in clear plastic bottles and food can liners. It has been restricted in Canada and some U.S. states. Here's the scary part: currently, the FDA has not yet decided what it considers a "safe level of exposure to BPA." Studies have found this chemical has links to reproductive abnormalities and a heightened risk of breast and prostate cancers, diabetes and heart disease.
The more I started researching what food products contain BPA---the more concerned I became. I not only became concerned, I started becoming angry----why hasn't this chemical been removed or at the very least limited? You can get the details from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Although I was getting ready for Sienna to start some "adult foods" like beans and pasta, I made the decision she would not eat any canned food---at least for a while. It is going to take some more time and planning because of course canned foods are much more convenient but after reading some literature on the topic, the extra time and effort is well worth it.
Children aren't the only ones advised to stay away from canned food---pregnant women should avoid it as well. Since BPA has not yet been regulated by the FDA, many experts say it is difficult to eliminate it entirely from our lives. However the article above is extremely helpful. It will give you some tips on avoiding food that may be contaminated with BPA and how to tell if a plastic has a higher concentration of the chemical.
Just some quick changes that I plan on making: Cooking beans from scratch—yes it takes a few hours but cook a few pounds and freeze what you don't use. Look for crushed or peeled tomatoes in a glass jar or just cook them fresh. Ditto for common canned foods like olives, artichokes, green beans etc.
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