BPA is Everywhere

A few weeks ago I asked Hansen's Sodas if they use phthalates or BPA to coat the inside of their cans.  They did respond, but they didn't exactly answer my question.


"Thanks for visiting the Hansen’s website.

We understand your concern, but can confidently assure you that beverage cans are safe. It is important to remember that all components of packages that come into contact with food or beverages undergo stringent testing and must comply with U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations before use. Our entire beverage cans meet or exceed federal and state health and safety standards. In fact, all components used in beverage cans, including coatings, have been and continue to be recognized as safe by the FDA.

Our company has worked with the Can Manufactures Institute to respond to claims that the chemical Bisphenol A, used in a formulation of certain can coatings, is unsafe. Bisphenol A is alleged to be a possible estrogen mimic by a small group of activists and allegedly pose threats at low-dose exposures to vulnerable populations. However, CMI, working with the Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc. developed very convincing data, which demonstrate the safety of foods and beverages in cans lined with coatings made with Bisphenol A. The data show the American consumer has no exposure whatsoever to Bisphenol A through canned beverages. These findings have been provided to and reviewed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 

Beverage cans are safe, and provide the highest quality packaging for beverages on the market today.



Sincerely,
Hansen's Beverage Company"

The letter basically says yes we coat our cans in a plastic that has not been proven to be unsafe for you by the Can Manufactures Institute, company supported, the FDA and the USDA, whose powers do not reach far enough to ban or challenge any claims until someone has died from said substance/ claim without a shadow of a doubt.

You can buy these products at Whole Foods, a company priding itself on providing organic and natural products.  Bisphenol A, is an artifical hormone, estrogen to be precise, and the body cannot tell the difference between this hormone and the ones produces in our bodies.  This artificial hormone can send false signals to our cells, making them not work properly and cause damage to the body.

The FDA has taken some steps to see if Bisphenol A (BPA) is hazardous.  So, Hansen's in wrong to state there is not enough concern.  However, this concern has been going on for over ten years, and scientists have already found links between BPA and cancer, diabetes, genital defects and behavioral problems like ADHD.  People are not dying directly from this contact, but it sets people up to have issues in the future and this may be why little action is taking place.

Even the guide talking about BPA says that low doses are not harmful.  But BPA is used in everything; water bottles, sports equipment, medical and dental devices, dental fillings and sealants, CDs and DVDs, household electronics, and eyeglass lenses.  My question is when low doses invade over long periods of time and those doses are no longer low, is it toxic?  When do the doses become toxic?  It's already been banned in baby bottles and some toys, if it's harmful for a baby, should pregnant mothers beware?

I'm concerned, not only because we don't know how much BPA is toxic, but it's also everywhere.  Studies may show low levels are safe for adults, however, when it accumulates inside our bodies, is it safe then?

Bad Kids, No Sugar For You

One of the families I nanny for live about 1/2 an hour away from any city.  They have a compost pile, septic tank, generator, solar panels, an organic filled fridge and no sugar added.


I firmly believe feeding children sugary drinks and snacks all day is detrimental to their health, however I do not think completely depriving a child is any better for their relationship with sugar.


Sugar is apart of our everyday lives and it is healthier to teach children to make smart choices rather than completely ignoring the question.  This not only applies to food but sex, alcohol, relationships, every social interaction depends on choices and avoiding the tough questions makes them harder to answer later.


I can just see the obsession in her eyes when Maple asks her mom if she can have sugary cakes, drinks, cookies, ice cream, processed foods on her birthday; the one day in the year where she is allowed added sugar.  Maple is only three, but I can already see the emotional desperation forming under her voice.


Every time where I find an obsession focused on food I reveal an emotionally disturbed person who does not know how to make wise decisions about food.  I was personally sugar pushed by my mother and used food to relieve my depression.  Maple does live in an emotionally adjusted family, however, their ideas about sugar need to take a turn or risk a severe obsession within Maple.

Carrots Caused This

The question is how does a parent manage sugar and let their child enjoy it?  A simple answer is not to make a big deal out of sugar, just treat it like any other food and limit it like any other food.  Carrots may be healthy, but eating too many will turn a person orange and make constipation an issue.  In short, moderation in all things.


I really do not think parents need to worry too much about their children eating added sugar if they feed them a healthy diet and let them have some sugary treat once in a while.  It's likely the sugar will be overwhelming to their taste buds and they will only want an occasional taste in the long run.  Obsession begins with denial, so don't deny children candy just don't make such a big deal about it and the children will follow suit.