Baby, it’s getting cold outside. As the temperature starts to drop, nothing sounds better than food that will warm you from the inside, out. One popular choice is canned soup, as it’s fast, easy, and. of course, delicious. However, new research suggests that this could lead to some serious health consequences.

You may have heard of bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical that has been studied and found linked to adverse health effects. The compound prevents rust and keeps food fresh, and therefore has been be used in canned food, water bottles, and even baby bottles. Lately, a concern has been raised about the amount contained in canned foods and the possible risk associated with consuming these frequently.

Harvard researchers compared volunteers who ate either freshly made soups or canned soup for five days. While those who ate fresh soups retained only small amounts of BPA, those who ate a serving of soup from a can increased the BPA in their body 20-fold. This magnitude of this research has raised numerous health questions, but more research is being done to look at the health impacts.

In order to keep yourself and families safe, try to limit your intake of canned foods and drinks.  While consuming food from a can every now and then is fine, eating from cans once a day for an extended period of time could possibly lead to health issues. Some companies already exclude using BPA in their canning, and can be found on the label.

Aim to eat fresh foods and try to make your own soups from scratch.

Assistance Provided by Tori Thompson