Plastics, BPA, Phthalates... what you should know

We recently watched the"Bag It" documentary and it was super interesting.  The documentary explained that plastic bags are really not disposable and they're terrible for the environment.  I'm sure a lot of people already know this. 

The documentary evolved  into researching BPA and phthalates and what he found was extremely interesting.  His wife was pregnant during the documentary so they were very interested in trying to figure out how much BPA and phthalates were getting into their bodies.  Now, most of us know that it's important to avoid heating up food in plastic containers, re-using plastic water bottles, etc.  But, did you know that there are phthalates in your shampoo, deodorant, perfume, cosmetics, hair products, etc?  Pretty much any products that list "Fragrance/Parfum" as an ingredient means there could be phthalates as well as a whole slew of other chemicals in it.  Phthalates are the ingredients that help the scent bond to something, like your skin.



Why does all of this matter and why should you care?

According to Wikipedia - In studies of rodents exposed to certain phthalates, high doses have been shown to change hormone levels and cause birth defects.

Bisphenol A, or BPA is a weak endocrine disruptor, which can mimic estrogen and may lead to negative health effects.^{[37][38][39][40]} Early developmental stages appear to be the period of greatest sensitivity to its effects,^[41] and some studies have linked prenatal exposure to later physical and neurological difficulties. Regulatory bodies have determined safety levels for humans, but those safety levels are currently being questioned or are under review as a result of new scientific studies.^[42][43] A 2011 study that investigated the number of chemicals pregnant women are exposed to in the U.S. found BPA in 96% of women.^[44] 

Did you know that lots of canned foods have a BPA lining?  Tomatoes, tomato based sauces, beans, etc all have a BPA lining unless labeled otherwise.  Eden is one of my favorite brands for canned foods - they actually have been BPA-free since 1999.  I definitely respect and want to support a company that actually cares about the consumers that purchase their products.  (You can buy Eden foods at Whole Foods.)  If the cost of these canned foods make you cringe - consider buying fresh tomatoes, making your own sauce or buy dry beans and soak them.

I know the purpose of my blog was to share the importance of eating a plant based diet, but I feel like it's important to share these kind of things too. It just seems like we should have a right to know these things - products should have to be labeled so people can be informed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phthalate
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bisphenol_A