We've been hearing about more lately about how using certain plastics can be detrimental to your health. I learned a few things I didn't know from this month's Healthy Utah magazine.
Check the bottom of your water-bottles, baby bottles, and any plastic containers you use for food or water. In a small triangle on the bottom, each container has a printed number. If the number is anything other than a 2, 4, or 5, ---TOSS IT!
Plastics with other numbers contain BPA (Bisphenol A) which can affect normal human development and reproduction. Plastics have also been linked to hormone disruption, and cancer--via the carcinogens in their chemical makeup.
Keep in mind that styro-foam and plastic cling-wrap are considered health no-no's. :(
It is best to limit using plastic as much as we can, because when we toss "bad plastic" it usually ends up being burned at a landfill, which can release toxic chemicals into our environment-- which in turn, affects our health.
As a general rule: try to use glass, wood, stainless steel, and good quality ceramic when it comes to the kitchen.
We live in an age of convenience, but it comes at a costly price.
To read the article my information came from, click here.
4 comments:
It was really scarry when we learned about BPA and that all of Keith's bottles were made of it. Before he was born I wanted to get glass bottles, but they aren't made anymore, or if they are, they are sold for a ghastly price. We found out that even the lining in some of the formula cans contain bpa as well. It was quite a struggle for us to transfer over everything to bpa free... and finding things for babies that are bpa free was even harder. I always knew that plastic was too good to be true. It seems nearly everything man made has some sort of adverse reaction. The worst part is people are still making products containing bpa. Where there is demand there is supply, right? When will we ever learn?
Wow!
Good for you for doing something about it. It seems like a lot of people just assume if you can buy it, it can't be THAT bad for you or it wouldn't be on the market. If only that were true!
It's sad that so many baby things are made of icky plastic. Now I wonder about baby spoons with the little soft tip, and teething rings-- on that kind of stuff how would you even know if it was safe?
You're right on, pretty much anything man-made has some kind of health hazard.
Oh dear, my water bottle has a 1 on it! Guess I better throw it away. I've seen a lot of stuff about plastic lately; it's kinda scary.
The article claimed that #1 is safe for a single use; you just wouldn't want to refill it and use it again, or drink from it if it has been left in the heat.
Since I like to carry a water bottle I think I'll buy a stainless steel one. L.L. Bean sells them, and they're probably available other places, I just haven't looked before now.
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