What you eat, and how you store and cook food can make a difference in your health!
Water bottles. Avoid plastic water bottles with a “number 7” in the triangle on the bottom. They may contain the known hormone disruptor, bisphenol A. Containers with “number 3” may have polyvinyl chloride, or PVC in them, and containers with “number 6” may have polystyrene in them.
If you do choose plastic containers instead of glass ones, choose those that contain polyethylene (numbers 1, 2, and 4) and polypropylene (number 5). Their additives appear to be less toxic.
Starch-rich foods. Avoid eating starch-rich foods that are heated to high temperatures. The cooking process produces acrylamide, a suspected carcinogen. One example of a starch-rich food is french fries.
Pots and pans. Use pots and pans that are steel clad, enameled, cast iron, or anodized aluminum, and avoid nonstick coatings. Choosing these will help you avoid perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, a chemical used in manufacturing some products with nonstick and stain-resistant coatings. PFOA, which is found in the blood of most Americans, has been linked to cancer and birth defects in animals.
Acidic foods. Store acidic food and drink in glass or lead-free ceramic containers instead of plastic ones. The acidity in foods and drinks helps chemicals leach from the plastic.
Avoid storing things like tea with lemon, in polystyrene containers. They help the styrene leach into your food and drink. Styrene is a suspected carcinogen that is used in the production of polystyrene (or Styrofoam) which is used in plastic packaging, disposable cups, and other containers.
Organic foods. Purchase organic foods whenever possible. Many pesticides act as endocrine disruptors and are known to affect brain development and neurological function in humans. Buy organic to reduce your exposure to these toxins.
Microwaves. Use heat-resistant glass or lead-free ceramic containers in the microwave. Some plastic containers contain chemicals that mimic or disrupt hormones. When these containers are heated, harmful chemicals can leach into your food and drink. “Microwave safe” refers to the container and not your health!
Maid Brigade House Cleaning Services cares about the health of you and your family. For more information on healthy green living and green cleaning, please log on to greencleancertified.com
or maidbrigade.com.
