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I'm too lazy a cook not to love cans. Quick, cheap, and recyclable, they've gotten me through many a long, tomatoless winter. Besides, I inherited a kind of a feminist reverence for them—didn't packaged foods help women cast off their domestic chains and all that? But recent research suggests that modern feminists, especially those inclined toward motherhood, might want to think twice before stocking up on Progresso soup.
Peek inside any can and you'll notice a thin film separating your food from the metal. During the 1950s, manufacturers began lining cans with plastic to fend off bacteria that could get into food and drinks if the container corroded. The biggest concern was food-borne botulism, an illness that used to kill six in ten of its victims. Thanks to liners and rigorous sterilization, botulism in commercial canned goods is now pretty rare. Trouble is, most can liners contain bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical that can leach into the food. Last year, the nonprofit Consumers Union found it in 18 of 19 canned foods it tested: Progresso Vegetable Soup topped the list with 22 micrograms of BPA per serving—116 times Consumers Union's recommended daily limit, which is based on animal studies.
Waiter, There's BPA in My Soup -- Top 5 BPA-Containing Canned Foods | Mother Jones
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- Public Discussion (12)
I'm pretty sure I've eaten most, if not all, of the foods on the list. So while I go on a cleansing diet I'll let you take a look at the list of 5.
- 2 votes
#1 - Fri Sep 17, 2010 10:09 PM EDTIt better to eat food fresh rather than canned anyway.
I now only buy canned food from two companies that use BPA-free cans. Eden (many varieties of organic rice and beans-- and now they have other products such as Quinoa and beans, other grain + bean combinations). And Wild Planet (the Skipjack Tuna is low in Mercury and PCBs).
- 2 votes
I've been on a dietary change and eating a lot more raw vegetables lately. The issue for most people, as she mentions in the article, is preparation time. We live in a time when people think little of working 10-12 hours and then staying connected to work afterwards. We don't seem to give much time to just preparing and eating good food.
- 1 vote
I've been on a dietary change and eating a lot more raw vegetables lately. The issue for most people, as she mentions in the article, is preparation time. We live in a time when people think little of working 10-12 hours and then staying connected to work afterwards. We don't seem to give much time to just preparing and eating good food.
I would have to agree about vegetables-- preparation takes longer than most other foods. I clean and cut up a lot of vegetables for salad on a weekend, then store them in a 3 liter glass container in the frieg. I also steam a lot of veggies and store them in the frig-- lasts for about half a week.
Its takes a little time-- butnot that much-- when the veggies are put up rto cook, I work on the computer. the main things is cleaning and cutting up. And-- of all thijngs, salad sems to be the most time consuming.
But relatively unprocessed whole food is so much healthier...IMO its worth a little time.(how long does it really take tyo cut up some assorted veggies to fill a 10 qt pot..?)One thing I've found helpful is this idea of cooking up a big pot of stuff that lasts for a few days-- instead of cooking for each meal I merely have to warn stuff up.
And here's another advantage-- its much cheaper than buying processed foods. I Use the money I save in cooking for myself to buy organic food!
(Just about anything that comes in a box or a can has lots of added stuff-- preservatives, salt, sugar (or worse, High Fructose Corn Syrup!) sometimes trans-fat, food dyes, preservatives-- BPA isn't the only hazard!)
- 1 vote
I use very little canned vegetables other than tomatoes. I find that frozen are far superior than canned when fresh ones are not in season or unavailable. They are almost as good, or in some cases better than fresh and aren't subject to nearly the same level of processing as their canned brethren.
And here's another advantage-- its much cheaper than buying processed foods.
I was really surprised by that myself. A basket full of veggies and fruit is a ton cheaper than the equivalent in canned or frozen -- or part of a prepared meal of some kind. I've cut down on meats, so I'll buy a bag of frozen chicken.
One of the nice things for me, since I'm mostly home computing or taking care of my spouse, is getting out a couple times a week to replentish. The thing about veggies is they're "use it or lose it" unless you're canning or preparing ahead, as you mentioned.
Now the challenge is finding interesting ways to handle things like Kale, which I've never had much experience with before.
interesting ways to handle things like Kale
Have you tried boiling for about 2 mins, and then putting red wine vinegar on it? That's one of my favs. Sounds gross, but tastes pretty good.
- 1 vote
Now the challenge is finding interesting ways to handle things like Kale, which I've never had much experience with before.
Kales is one of the most nutritious vegetables!
I'm a pretty hard-core kinda guy-- almost anything resembling a vegetable of any sort-- I merely steam it and eat! Or I make a vegetable stew-- simmer in a pot with mixed veggies, herbs and spices, and a little water. Then add Rice & Beans, Quinoa and Beans, Chinese Barley, etc. Even a bit of chicken breast (organic) or wild caught Salmon. Siir it up & heat for a healthy and delicious stew.
If you're into raw foods & juicing: You might think Kale isn't a good candidate-- its sort of bitter. But try this-- 1 apple and a bunch of Kale. The sweetness of the apples makes it a really great jiuce. (Experiment with quanitites of Kale).Or use two small apples-- for a sweet treat.
A powerhouse of nutrition in and of itself (Kale qualifies not only as a "dark green leafy"-- but also as a "cruciferous" ). But if you want to make it even more full of power-packed nutrition, you can add varuious things depending upon preferences. Ginger, a dash of cayenne, powdered Dulse, Parsley, a clove of Garlic, Spirulina...whatever turns you on. And/or, of course-- one or more other veggies-- experiment!
- 1 vote
Kale is also great sauteed with EVOO and garlic.
Or-- here's a recipe from the nutritionist at Kripalu (if you are OK with eating Soy). Ideally all ingredients except maybe the EVOO should be organic...
Tofu & Greens
-1 lb extra firm Tofu
-1 bunch Kale or Bok Choy or Collard Greens (washed thoroughly)
-One bulb of Garlic
-1 Tablsesppon of chpped Ginger
-Ume Plum Vinegar
Chop Tofu into small cubes and sautee with finely chopped Ginger and Garlic. After 6-7 minutes on medium heat, add greens and cover pan (so you get them to steam as well). Steam until veggies are tender. Serve on Brown Rice topped with dash of Ume Plum Vinegar (Eden is a great brand).
- 1 vote
Just looked at the Kripalu site and found this recipe: Arame, Kale, and Almonds
- 1 vote
Very nice idea all. Thanks.
Some things I'm pretty bold about just steaming and eating, like baby bok choy. Others I've just never had much experience with. But I'm trimming down and getting more energy, so it's definitely been worthwhile.
I ate a lot better before marrying in to a family with preset food notions. (Two teen-age girls.) The habits were ingrained by the time they left. Now my spouse eats rarely and foods that bring her some comfort. I realized I needed to just take control of my own eating rather than just doing "easy" things.
- 2 votes
I was just about to go fix soup -- now I feel guilty. (sigh)
- 2 votes
#2 - Fri Sep 17, 2010 10:54 PM EDTYou're in Easy Mode. If you prefer, you can use XHTML Mode instead. |
