A recent article from Health.com was published (posted here on Huffington Post) where a condensed list was made containing the most important organic foods/non-toxic products that we should be mindful in buying for our health. Here at MightyNest, we were delighted to see non-toxic products were included in this list as they are also significant to our overall health. Below we've highlighted the list calling out areas where we offer safer alternatives:
- Cookware: "Most nonstick cookware contains a fluorochemical called PTFE that breaks down to form toxic fumes when overheated," says Olga Naidenko, Ph.D., a senior scientist at the Environmental Working Group (EWG). "Those fumes can coat the inside of the lungs and cause allergy-like symptoms." Ceramic cookware is a safe option for stove-top cooking at medium to high temperatures.
- Water Bottles: "For adults, the biggest concern with BPA is that it may increase the risk of breast cancer in women and reduce sperm counts in men," says Dr. Carpenter, who explains that BPA can leach out into the water in the bottle. BPA has the potential to harm the human brain and reproductive system, especially in babies and fetuses. BPA-free water bottles are the safest choice.
- Food Storage Containers: Many food-storage containers are made of the hard, clear polycarbonate plastic that may contain BPA. "The leaching is increased during heating, but it also leaches to a smaller degree even when cold foods are stored," Dr. Carpenter explains. Glass food containers and Stainless steel food containers are both safe for food storage.
- Mattress: "Some regular mattresses may have been treated with potentially toxic flame retardants called polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), which have been linked to learning, memory, and behavioral impairments", according to Lunder, senior analyst at the EWG. Organic Matresses are safe and not treated with chemicals.
- Popcorn: The linings of microwave-popcorn bags may contain a toxic chemical called perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, which is used to prevent the food from sticking to the paper. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), PFOA is a likely carcinogen. Read more about dangers of microwave popcorn on the MightyNest blog. Keep an eye out for a solution from us here and also read the comments on the linked blog post for solutions from our community.
Other items on their list include: beef, strawberries, yard pesticides, all-purpose house cleaners, milk, celery, and tomato sauce. Click here to read the whole post.
What else would you add to their list?
