California has banned BPA (Bisphenol A) from all baby bottles and sippy cups. This is a huge stride in keeping our children healthy. Hopefully other states will pick up this idea and ban it from the dishes their children eat and drink from.
First, what is BPA and why is it so bad? High levels of BPA have been linked to heart disease, diabetes and liver failure in humans, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association. In fact, the National Toxicology Program warns that BPA may cause babies to develop abnormally. The Canadian government has banned it in baby bottles as well as listing it as a toxic substance. But the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency maintain that BPA is perfectly safe.
Second, how can you avoid BPA?
- Most hard, transparent, shatter-proof plastic bottles or dishes contain BPA, unless they specifically say BPA Free. When looking for a water bottle, look for BPA Free ones or use stainless steel, like SIGG bottles.
- Don’t use bottles that have BPA in them for hot drinks.
- Don’t scrub bottles that have BPA with abrasive soaps.
- Bisphenol A is in the resin that lines a lot of canned goods, including canned tomatoes, corn, soups, and soda cans. Juice bottles are not made with bisphenol A. Use fresh or frozen food to avoid BPA all together.
- Recent studies have shown that when bottles are heated, the rate of bisphenol A leaching increases significantly. However, leaching can occur at room temperature. I advise people not to use bottles made with bisphenol A. In our studies we found that fatty substances like milk or acidic substance like tomatoes can increase leaching.
