by Mike Geary
Does Canned Food and Bottled Water Increase Your Abdominal Fat Through Hidden Chemicals?
It is no secret that there is a controversy about which chemicals may be in your bottled water, drinks and for that matter – canned foods! It is true that xenoestrogens have been found in some foods and drinks, which cause an increase in abdominal fat from estrogen, as well as other health conditions and problems.
But I want to tell you about the single most dangerous chemical found in your bottled drinks and canned foods.
It’s called Bisphenol A (BPA).
Plastic bottles have been found to contain BPA, as well as canned foods with BPA in their lining. BPA is classified as an xenoestrogen, which even in small doses in animals studies have been proven to be linked to:
- Fertility problems and birth defects or miscarriages
- Heart disease
- Increase in abdominal fat (darn that stubborn belly fat!)
- Metabolic disorders
Guilty BPA Offenders
Here are a few tips to avoid the major BPA food offenders:
- Polycarbonate bottles – look for the #7 symbol on the bottom
- Canned foods – especially those that have sat on the shelf longer or been under high temperatures (which releases more BPA from the canned lining into your food)
- Canned tomato products (ravioli, pastas, canned tomato pastes, tomato sauces, etc) are some of the biggest BPA threats because of the acidity of tomatoes, which leaches more out of BPA
Here is a scary finding. BPA was found in 95% of Americans tested by the CDC. This stat was published by the Environmental Working Group (EWG). Furthermore, the EWG reports,
“Analysis of our tests reveals that for one of every five cans tested, and for one-third of all vegetables and pastas (ravioli and noodles with tomato sauce), a single serving would expose a pregnant woman to BPA at levels that fall within a factor of 5 of doses linked to birth defects — permanent damage of developing male reproductive organs.“
If birth defects weren’t enough, there is also evidence an increase in stubborn belly fat from BPA:
“An investigation demonstrating that low doses of BPA spur both the formation and growth of fat cells, the two factors that drive obesity in humans (Masumo et al. 2002).“
Who knew that the cause of your “stubborn belly fat” was not necessarily the food you were eating, but the LINING of the cans your food was packaged in or the bottled water you were drinking!? The xenoestrogen BPA is definitely worth avoiding since these xenoestrogens increases fat cells, but can also be linked to cancer and other health dangers.
8 Steps to Avoid BPA
By taking steps to avoid BPA, you reduce the body fat and the harmful health risks associated with BPA exposure.
- Opt for fresh or frozen foods over canned foods. A great idea is to buy the ingredients yourself, prep accordingly, and then store in glass containers over plastic.
- If canned foods still end up in your shopping cart or basket, then at least try to buy cans that are labelled BPA-free.
- Because many recipes called for canned tomato products (tomato sauces, tomato pastes, etc.), opt for those tomato ingredients offered in glass jars. Or, better yet, make your own fresh tomato meals from scratch!
- Since plastic wrap, plastic zip-lock bags and other plastic food storage containers contain BPA, so investigate for packaging that is BPA-free.
- DO NOT MICROWAVE YOUR FOOD IN PLASTIC CONTAINERS! First, microwaved foods may have negative consequences on your health. Second, microwaving can further damage your food by intensifying the BPA chemicals released from plastic containers and transfer to your food.
- For the bottled water fanatics, please use do not use polycarbonate bottles. If it shows “PC” on the bottom, then you know it is made from polycarbonate and will contain BPA. Again, plastic containers that show #7 on the bottom, as well, often contain BPA. Choose wisely and choose bottles that specifically say BPA-free.
- For the soda/pop fans, did you know that 42% of soda cans/pop cans contain BPA? This is another wonderful stat provided to you by the EWG, which uncovers valuable health information for consumers! But let me state the obvious – avoid soda and don’t drink the nasty stuff. It contains absolutely no positive health benefits. In fact, diet soda takes your health to a critical level with its dangerous artificial sweeteners.
- Never drink hot liquids out of plastic cups. Depending on the type of the plastic (travel mugs, disposable cups), the heat accelerates the transference of BPA to its contents (much like the heat of the microwave that leaches BPA).
Follow these tips as close as possible because as much as you try to avoid BP, there is risk you ingest and digest xenoestrogens from other foods such as pesticides, herbicides, packaging chemicals, water, cosmetics and lotions etc. that contain “additives” and other various chemicals!
PHY- to your BPA
The good news in all of this is that you can combat the harmful effects of xenoestrogens on your healthy with PHYtonutrients. The following foods contain powerful amounts of phytonutrients:
- Cruciferious vegetables
- Green teas
In fact, read this article to see how 6 specific veggies can help you to fight abdominal fat by counteracting xenoestrogens.
If you stick to most of these guidelines, you can help to protect yourself and your family from the health dangers of bisphenol-A (BPA). And you can also help protect yourself against the issue of “stubborn belly fat” that can be caused by the xenoestrogen effect of BPA exposure too… which I’m sure you’d rather avoid!
Please share this article with your friends and family to help them protect their health from BPA exposure in water bottles, other plastic containers (polycarbonate bottles) or other BPA “leaching” traps.
by Mike Geary - Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Nutrition Specialist Author of best-selling program - The Truth About 6-Pack Abs