How Can I Detox My Thanksgiving Diet?

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Tuesday, November 15, 2011

by Janelle Sorensen, Chief Communications Officer, Healthy Child Healthy World

Most people wonder how to detox after the holidays, but have you ever considered getting a jump start on the process? Detoxing your diet by choosing healthier foods and drinks throughout the holidays can go a long way towards curbing post-gluttony guilt and, more importantly, it can also reduce your family’s exposure to questionable additives and contaminants commonly found in holiday feasts.

One thing in particular you should be aware of this holiday is what’s in canned foods. A new report released today by the Breast Cancer Fund documents the presence of the toxic chemical bisphenol A (BPA) in canned foods used to prepare a typical Thanksgiving dinner.

BPA is used to make, among other things, the epoxy-resin linings of metal food cans. The lining forms a barrier between the metal and the food which helps to prevent bacterial contamination. However, the toxic chemical can leach from the resin and make its way into food. BPA has been linked in laboratory studies to adverse health effects such as breast and prostate cancer, infertility, early puberty in girls, type-2 diabetes, obesity and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

For this report, “BPA in Thanksgiving Canned Food,” the Breast Cancer Fund sent 28 canned food items—four cans each of Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup; Campbell’s Turkey Gravy; Carnation Evaporated Milk (by Nestle); Del Monte Fresh Cut Sweet Corn, Cream Style; Green Giant Cut Green Beans (by General Mills); and Libby’s Pumpkin (by Nestle); —to Anresco Laboratories, an independent testing laboratory in San Francisco. The testing revealed tremendous variability even among cans of the same product made by the same company!

Based on the results of the BPA in Thanksgiving Canned Food report, the Breast Cancer Fund recommends that Thanksgiving cooks seek alternatives to canned foods. Luckily, there are simple and inexpensive replacements. Here are some recipes they found for you to try:

Learn more about BPA in canned foods at the Breast Cancer Fund’s Cans Not Cancer campaign and take action to protect your family!

Here are a couple more resources for detoxing your Thanksgiving diet: