Striving4Zen

Plastics, as used for food preparation and storage, have been linked to a sobering list of health conditions: hormonal imbalance, heart disease, impaired brain development, altered development of sexual organs, and various cancers.

So what should you do?

Plastics of different types are assigned corresponding resin numbers. The types, 1-7, look something like this.

• #1 polyethylene terephthalate – aka PET/PETE – soda bottles, mouthwash bottles, bottled water, etc.
• #2 high density polyethylene – aka HDPE - milk jugs, household cleaner and detergent bottles, shampoo bottles, etc.
• #3 polyvinyl chloride – aka V/PVC – meat packaging, some household cleaner bottles, rigid plastic containers, household pipes, etc.
• #4 low density polyethylene – aka LDPE – newspaper bags, grocery bags, sandwich bags, cling wraps, frozen food bags, etc.
• #5 polypropylene – aka PP – yogurt/sour cream tubs, ketchup bottles, medicine bottles, etc.
• #6 polystyrene – aka PS – coffee cups, packing peanuts, to-go containers, etc.
• #7 “other” (Category assigned for mixed plastics or plastics introduced after 1987. The category includes polycarbonate, plant-based polylactide and other new hard plastics.) – baby bottles, water cooler bottles, rigid containers for food storage, lining for canned food, etc.

Are there better / worse options?

Although you’ll find criticism/skepticism about every category in some corners, most experts believe that better bets include #2 (HDPE), #4 (LDPE) and #5 (polypropylene) plastics because they appear to be more stable and less prone to leaching when used properly.

Of high concern are PVC (#3), polystyrene (#6) and the polycarbonate plastics (subcategory of #7). PVC contains phthalates, known endocrine disruptors and carcinogens, that present a particular risk to children. As for polystyrene, studies have linked this plastic to cancer, neurological damage and reproductive issues (PDF). And we’ve all likely heard the debate about BPA, a component of polycarbonate plastics. Although industry has fought the link tooth and nail, it’s becoming clear that BPA can seriously impact hormonal balance and reproductive function. (1, 2, 3)

Finally, some research suggests that a common plastic for water bottles, PET plastics, leach estrogenic compounds. These compounds, xenoestrogens, can disrupt hormonal balance in both men and women, although the single use of these plastics may lessen the overall leaching impact on consumers.

So, what can you do to prevent leaching? First off, there’s your own use of plastic. Use plastic containers only in accordance with their originally intended use (e.g. Don’t reheat a microwave dinner container or wash a single use water bottle and use it over and over – especially after continual washing in a hot dishwasher.) Second, avoid heating any plastic whenever possible or storing hot food/drink in plastic containers. In much of the “leaching” research, plastics are heated to high temperatures for long stretches of time, but even brief heating can be enough to allow chemical shedding of sorts. Remove plastic packaging and use a good old glass bowl or stove top pot for heating and a regular mug instead of a foam cup for your morning coffee. (And use a plain paper towel, preferably unbleached, to cover food in the microwave rather than plastic wrap.) The same goes for storage. (A liquid or moist food item has the potential to absorb more from its container than loose “dry” items.) Acidic food reacts more with the materials it comes in contact with. Keep your tomatoes and juices preferably in glass. Finally, look into alternatives to plastic bags like wax paper sandwich bags or stainless steel Bento boxes. (Just be sure to wrap those acidic foods in wax paper before storing them in stainless steel or aluminum.)

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Labels: BPA, healthy cooking, living holistically, microwave, plastic, PVC, toxic, toxins