What is BPA-Free and why should I care?
BPA stands for Bisphenol A (the A stands for acetone) and is a filler that is found in many plastic products. It is a know endocrine disruptor. An endocrine disruptor means that any bodily system that is controlled by hormones is susceptible to mayhem. Many functions in the body are hormone controlled and have reported BPA interference; such as weight maintenance, prostrate function, fetus development, insulin control and cancer. Not a small list. New reports issued by the EPA disclose 90% of Americans have high quantities of BPA circulating through their bodies. Not a small number.
BPA is obviously found in plastics, like water bottles, and water pipes, but also in the lining of canned food, store receipts, packaged food containers, and compact discs. The primary form of exposure is through consumption of drinks or food that was packaged in polycarbonate plastic containers.
Can we purge our system of BPA? Yes, studies have shown that a diet high in fresh vegetables (the greener the better) can reduce the BPA in our system. However, the trick is to eliminate BPA from entering our bodies.
In effort to help reduce our BPA quantities in our bodies, we, at The Copper Kettle, have BPA-free, double-walled, cups with straws and silicone seals and also stainless steel water bottles with dual lids. Our cups with straws have a silicone seal around the lid. I really didn’t think the seal was a big deal being there is a non-sealed hole where the straw comes through. Then I took a sip from a non-sealed rimmed cup. Water dripped all down my shirt! That little seal made all the difference. When we take a sip we automatically angle the cup towards us, and I learned if that seal is not there we end up with a wet shirt. The double walled feature not only keeps the drink cold, but the condensation that normally occurs on glasses does not occur. Once again this cup leads us to a dry vs. wet shirt. We also look to improving our ecological footprint by use of re-usable cups. Each cup we reuse cuts down on the number of plastic bottles in our landfills. Grab one of these cool cups or steel water bottles to make our bodies and our world a bit healthier.
