BPA & BPS: The Evil Chemical Twins of Food Packaging

There is so much to be concerned about when it comes to the food supply, ranging from bacteria and food-borne illnesses to dangerous chemicals and preservative.

A growing concern, however, is the potential harm of the containers those foods are packaged in.

In fact, the chemicals found in food packages can have as big of an impact on your health as your food choices.

You may have been trying to avoid the dangerous chemical BPA (Bisphenol-A) in plastics and cash register receipts, but now there is an "evil sister" chemical, called BPS, that may be just as bad (or worse) for you.

Registered Dietician, Ashley Koff, makes this very fair caution: if you're someone who never uses plastic, don't stress about it. But, if you're someone who regularly is using plastics -- even if it's meant to be in a healthy manner, such as bringing your own salad or soup to work -- you should be concerned. 

Koff advises to try to remove the plastics in your life... at least to the best of your abilities. Glass is a great option, but if you have small children running around, or if you're a senior adult, you might have concerns of glass breaking. In that case, there's been many advancements in containers where there isn't direct contact between the plastic and what it contains (food, water, etc.). Or, a glass container that has a protective silicon casing around it is also a viable choice.

Another tip is to purchase foods from companies who are implementing more health-conscious practices, such as removing BPA from cans and other packages. If you can't buy all of your foods from these companies, you can still eliminate some of the threat by changing out the packaging when you get home from the grocery store. 

Listen in as Koff joins Andrea and Lisa to share more tips for eliminating plastics in your life, as well as the dangers behind BPA and BPS.