Frightening effects consuming just one can of soup has on your body
Dr. Rhonda Patrick, a biomedical scientist and owner of FoundMyFitness, warned about high levels of hormone-disrupting chemicals in canned soup
Eating just one can of soup a day can cause dangerous levels of hormone-disrupting chemicals to build up in your body, experts warn.
Dr. Rhonda Patrick, a biomedical scientist in California, pointed to a Harvard study showing that consuming a soup daily for less than a week led to a tenfold increase in BPA. an industrial chemical in can lining linked to infertility, heavy periods and early menopause.
Because it is low in calories, soup is often recommended for weight loss. But BPA, which is used in can linings for durability, seeps into the liquid, causing those who eat the soup to ingest the chemicals.
And it’s not just cans. There are lots of plastic containers and bags, baby bottles and even some store receipts in there.
Dr. Patrick said on her podcast last month: ‘These chemicals don’t just pass through us. They pile up.
‘They have been found in the lungs, liver, heart, brain, reproductive organs and even in the placenta.
‘This widespread presence raises critical questions about what these microplastic particles can do to our health. Could they disrupt our cells, alter our brain function and contribute to chronic diseases?’
Soup cans can be lined with BPA, said Dr. Patrick, an industrial chemical linked to infertility in both men and women (stock image)
BPA (Bisphenol A) is an industrial chemical used in hard plastics and resins to make them more durable.
Research shows that BPA acts as an “endocrine disruptor,” meaning it can imitate the body’s hormones and disrupt the production and response to natural hormones such as estrogen.
Dr. Patrick said: ‘These compounds can mimic estrogen in the body, leading to hormonal imbalances that affect everything from reproductive health to brain function.’
Some research even suggests that exposure to BPA might do this Decrease the quality of a woman’s eggs by up to sevenfold.
Dr. Patrick pointed to a small study published in JAMAthat recruited Harvard students and staff to consume one can of Progresso soup or fresh soup per day for five days.
Two days later, all participants underwent a urine test, which showed that those in the canned soup group had a 1,200 percent increase in BPA compared to those who consumed fresh soup.
Dr. Patrick noted that these participants “saw measurable changes in their hormone levels, including reduced testosterone and altered thyroid function.”
Low testosterone levels can lead to erectile dysfunction, lower sperm quality and genital shrinkage, increasing the risk of infertility. And thyroid problems can affect vital functions such as metabolism and heart rate.
Dr. Karin Michels, senior author of the study and now chair of the Department of Epidemiology at UCLA, said at the time of publication: ‘The magnitude of the increase in urinary BPA we observed after just one serving of soup was unexpected.
She added that this “may be concerning in people who regularly consume canned foods or drink multiple canned drinks daily.”
There is no safe exposure to forever chemicals and they have been linked to multiple cancers, asthma, fertility problems, obesity, birth defects, diabetes and autism
Furthermore, a 2016 study in the Journal of Environmental Research found that people who consumed one canned food in the past day had 24 percent higher levels of BPA in their urine compared to those who did not eat any canned food.
In a recent study, researchers found that exposure to BPA in women can lead to a decrease in egg development and quality and an increased risk of implantation failure, when fertilized eggs do not implant properly into the uterine lining, often resulting in pregnancy loss.
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), which is a major contributor to infertility and a risk factor for endometrial cancer and diabetes, has also been linked to BPA exposure.
These harmful substances can also lead to longer menstrual cycles and premature onset of puberty, which has been linked to depression, substance abuse, sexual assault and breast cancer in adults.
The researchers also looked at the effect of endocrine disruptors on men’s sexual health. They found that these chemicals reduced sperm quality and led to malformation of the male reproductive tract, reducing fertility.
The above graph from Toxic Free Future shows how toxic PFAS chemicals end up in food products
Dr. Patrick also referenced a study in the journal Hypertensionwhich showed that drinking from aluminum cans lined with resin containing BPA could increase blood pressure in just a few hours.
On three separate occasions, 60 participants were asked to drink the same drink in two glass bottles, two cans, or one can and one glass bottle at the same time.
After drinking the canned drinks, BPA levels in the participants’ urine increased up to 16 times.
Dr. Patrick said: ‘This is a really clear indicator of the immediate impact on our cardiovascular system of these endocrine disrupting chemicals like BPA.’
However, the study had a small sample size and all participants were over 60, which increased their risk for high blood pressure.
To reduce exposure to BPA and similar chemicals, Dr. Patrick recommended choosing fresh foods over packaged foods and reducing consumption of canned foods such as soup.
Instead, she suggests looking for soups sold in glass containers.