A new study done by Harvard researchers suggests eating canned foods may be harmful to our health.
What’s causing the concern?
Researchers believe a chemical found in hard plastics and inside canned food products may be the culprit. This chemical known as bisphenol A or BPA has been linked to cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity, according to the Harvard study.
“We’ve known for a while that drinking beverages that have been stored in hard plastics can increase the amount of BPA in your body,” Jenny Carwile, the study’s lead author, said in the statement. “This study suggests that canned foods may be an even greater concern, especially given their wide use.”
How was this discovery made?
With the help of 75 volunteers, researchers doled out a soup-rich diet. Progresso soup was eaten for at least one meal for five days. The participants were 13 times more likely to have BPA in their system after consuming the soup compared with levels measured after the consumption of fresh soup, according to the study published online by the Journal of the American Medical Association.
What critics say?
John T. Rost, chairman of the North American Metal Packaging Alliance, refutes this study saying, “The fact is scientific experts at the FDA and the EPA have reviewed the science on BPA, and re-reviewed it several times, and each time they have concluded that BPA does not pose a health risk to infants, children or adults from its use in food packaging.” He went on say, “The same conclusion was reached by government agencies in Europe, Canada, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand.”
What should consumers do?
For some consumers this new finding won’t change their routine. The truth is, canned foods are easy to prepare and inexpensive. However, those that are concerned by this news could cut down on the amount of canned goods they eat.
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