Canned Foods and BPA

A few years ago, manufacturers of baby bottles made an aggressive effort to eliminate bisphenol A (BPA) from their products.  The effort was widely hailed as an excellent, pro-health, consumer-friendly move and parents across the country rejoiced.  BPA is a known endocrine disruptor.  This means it changes the way that hormones function in the body.  While minute amounts to an adult may not be very disruptive, no one really knows how much is safe.  The impact on children; we know even less.

While BPA has been removed from many children's products, it is still widely used in other areas.  The inside of canned foods is known to have BPA.  A study reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association examined adult volunteers who ate one can of soup per day for 5consecutive days.

Researchers found that his lead to BPA levels in the urine that were 1,221% higher than people who did not eat soup out of cans during that time frame.  That is not a type.  It was 1,221% higher!

The only way to show up in urine is if BPA was absorbed into the blood in the first place (presumably from dietary intake).  While this research isn't damning of BPA in and of itself.  It does indicate significant exposure to BPA to the average American.  It's is not uncommon to open a can of tuna, soup or other food product.  If you buy much of your food, you must realize that quite a bit of restaurant food also comes out of a can (depending, of course, on where you choose to dine).

There is quite a bit of research showing the potential of BPA to be harmful to our health.  The fact that exposures are this high is very alarming.  Remember this as you open your next can of beans.  That low glycemic, high protein, high fiber treat may come along with a spoonful of endocrine disruptors.

Mom's diet during pregnancy

Parents have enormous influence over what their children eat.  In the early years, children eat only what they are given.  As time goes on, they begin to make their own food choices; largely shaped by parents.  It turns out that the influence (specifically from mom) may begin much earlier than initially thought.

Children may actually have their flavors sculpted while still inside the womb!   This is an idea that has been spread through folklore from one generation to the next.  But a new study in Current Diabetes Reports seems to confirm this idea.

The concept is called "prenatal flavor learning."  The study found that:

"the flavors of the foods in the maternal diet are found in the amniotic fluid swallowed by the fetus, with the fetus developing a preference for those flavors that is shown to persist in infancy."

In other words, the baby could taste what Mom tasted and preferred those tastes even as an infant.  I especially appreciate another line from the authors,

"This is an empowering concept for a pregnant woman."

It shows that developing a child's taste for healthy foods begins with Mom when she is pregnant.  It certainly continues after birth as the parents model healthy eating and behavior.

Mom's healthy pregnancy diet has a dual benefit.  It provides bountiful nourishment to the developing child and programs his/her taste buds to continue that healthy trend after birth.

More good news for fruits and veggies

A new study out of Loma Linda University shows that people who follow a vegetarian diet had a "substantial and independent reduction in diabetes incidence." 

Researchers found that among the black population, a vegan diet lead to a 70% reduction in diabetes risk.  A vegetarian diet was also impressive and cut the risk of diabetes by 53%.

The study examined over 41,000 people (7,172 black) Seventh Day Adventists.  While the results were similar among white participants, it is important to note that Seventh Day Adventists generally abstain from alcohol and tobacco. 

The study also found that exercising 3x per week decreased risk of diabetes by 35%.   This is another win for people advocating a plant based diet and regular exercise... in other words; a healthy lifestyle.