Is BPA Making You Fat?

Posted by Healthy Bitch Daily on Oct 10, 2012

This trendy little chemical could be a contributing factor when it comes to weight gain


Calories, fat grams, sitting on your ass instead of working out—you already know that too much of these things can a fat girl make. 

But something as seemingly innocuous as your food containers could also be contributing to your battle against the bulge. It's BPA, and it's quite the little bitch.

The Low Down on BPA

By now, you’ve heard that Bisphenol A, or BPA, is nasty as hell and should be avoided. It's a chemical used to help maintain the integrity of consumer products and food containers, such as canned goods and plastic bottles, but it has also been found in paper currency and some cookware.

BPA is believed to be a contributing factor in serious health problems for adults and children. In adults, it has been linked to higher incidence of heart disease, liver abnormalities and diabetes, as well as an increased risk of cancer. In fetuses, it has been linked to brain and hormone development problems. Most recently, several studies revealed that children with the highest levels of BPA in the body are more likely to be obese. These results echo those found last year in a similar study on BPA and adult obesity. Together, these studies suggest that BPA is a chemical which alters the body’s metabolism and makes it harder to lose weight, even with proper diet and exercise. Son of a bitch.

Because BPA’s presence is largely ubiquitous, this information is frightening for everyone. But it may be even more so for vegans and vegetarians, whose plant-based diets may (but shouldn't) contain greater amounts of canned goods in the form of fruits and vegetables.

How Do I Avoid It?

Though it can take a little extra work and planning, it’s really as simple as avoiding BPA as much as you can. Here are some guidelines:

-Avoid canned food items wherever possible, and buy fresh or frozen fruits and veggies instead. With less sodium and preservatives and more antioxidants, they’re healthier than canned, anyway.

-Ditch the canned beans and legumes and get dried ones instead. They’re not only way cheaper, they taste much more delicious.

-Because BPA is commonly found in plastics, avoid plastic food containers and instead use glass. If you're not willing to ditch your Tupperware collection, at least make sure you don't put them in the dishwasher. The heat causes these plastics to leach even more chemicals. Glass isn’t simply more durable, it makes storing and serving leftovers look infinitely more chic.

- Buy water bottles that are BPA-free. No excuses, especially considering they're everywhere on store shelves nowadays. Opt for stainless steel bottles if you want to avoid plastic entirely.

While you're at it, you may also want to think about tossing your plastic coffee maker and opting for a French press instead. And those plastic utensils you use to eat your lunch at the office? Pack a set of your silverware from home and call it day. With a little more effort, you can reduce your exposure to BPA, minimize your chances of scary side effects and stay slimmer. Word to that.

Have you ditched your BPA water bottles and food containers yet? If not, why? Let us know in the comments. 


Brook Bolen, Contributing Writer
Born and raised in Appalachia, Brook Bolen is a bona fide country girl who now lives in the heart of the Dirty South. When she's not cooking, eating, or writing, she's scouring the Internet for videos of baby animals. A flawlessly manicured freelance writer and proud pitbull mama and advocate, Brook eats like a rabid vegan wolverine. And her garden kicks major ass.

Image via: Rubbermaid Products