7. Canned Foods
Most of us have a small stock of canned food kicking about in our cupboards but if you eat it on the regular, you might be harming your health. Though it’s great to open a can of something when you really don’t have time to cook, if you eat canned foods daily, you’ll be consuming extra sugars and preservatives and getting less nutritional value than you would if you ate the fresh equivalent.
There’s plenty more reasons to opt for fresh over canned – studies have shown that canned food can contain trace amounts of bisphenol A (BPA). Even at low doses, research from the Journal of Cancer Prevention has associated bisphenol A with various human cancers and developmental disorders, so by avoiding canned produce, you’ll be minimising your risk. Eating canned food regularly also means you might be ingesting aluminium with your meal, which definitely isn’t something you want to include as part of your regular diet. Research has found a link between the aluminium in canned foods and the development of Parkinson’s, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease, so cutting down on canned goods is a long term investment in your health.
Opting for fresh, rather than canned not only lets you swerve the toxic substances that may be lurking in cans, it acts as insurance against a number of chronic diseases – from cancer to heart disease and diabetes. Researchers at the University of Bonn found a correlation between an increased intake of fresh fruit and vegetables and improved health markers in multiple important areas, including a decreased likelihood of developing cancer, so if you ever needed a reason to get fresh, this has to be it!
