Today I want to talk to you about why you want to avoid BPA. Canned soups are often high in sodium and contain sugar, MSG, and preservatives. They are also often packaged in cans which almost always contain BPA. BPA has been linked to numerous health issues that I’m going to explain in this post.

If you are trying to conceive, this post is for you because BPA has been linked to miscarriages and birth defects.

What is BPA?

Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a chemical compound that is used to line the inside of cans to protect food from metal corrosion and bacteria. There was actually a study that found eating canned soup for 5 days increased the amount of BPA found in urine by more than 1,000% when compared to eating homemade soup.

Why Avoid BPA

The problem with BPA is that it is an endocrine disruptor and it mimics the effects of estrogen in the human body.

If you are trying to conceive, this is a big problem and you definitely want to be avoiding BPA. Studies on monkeys, who have a reproductive system that is similar to ours, show that BPA can affect both the developing egg and sperm. The study resulted in spontaneous miscarriages and birth defects. YIKES!

BPA has been linked to:

• Increased blood pressure
• Heart disease
• Type 2 diabetes
• Structural brain damage
• Hyperactivity
• Impaired learning
• Early puberty
• Obesity

It is also important to know that even small amounts of BPA are harmful.

How to avoid BPA

So what can we do? Well it is hard to avoid anything made out of plastic completely, but here are 4 easy things we can do to avoid BPA:

1. Make your own soup so you can avoid BPA lined cans
2. Buy soups that come in glass jars instead of plastic or cans
3. Store your leftovers in glass or stainless steel containers instead of plastic.
4. Watch out for receipts, they are usually coated in BPA. Only ask for a receipt if you need it for tax purposes.

Bonus tip: Plastic bottles are another major source of BPA which is only one of the reasons why you should avoid them. I like to use glass or stainless-steel water bottles. And if you are using a water pitcher at home, make sure it’s BPA-free, too. There are even plenty of BPA-free filter pitchers.

If you are looking for yummy and nutrient dense soup recipes to fill your freezer with, then you will love my new cookbook Healthy Homemade Soups & Sandwiches. It contains over 30 recipes made with delicious whole food ingredients. Each recipe has been tested by my 30 person team of recipe testers to make sure they work every time and taste amazing.

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